Direct Exoplanet Detection

There are two methods used to directly detect exoplanets.

The first direct method used is referred to as imaging. Planets are light sources, although sometimes very faint light sources. To discover exoplanets using this method observers can see light produced by an exoplanet. Using this method is extremely difficult because older or middle aged exoplanets produce very little light, especially if they are small. This method has usually only worked when observing hot young exoplanets. The light produced by the exoplanets' companion star can literally out shine the light produced by the exoplanet and the exoplanet can go undetected. 

 

The second direct method is infrared interferometry. Traditionally telescope's viewing power is limited by the diameter of the telescope's mirror or lens, but combining telescopes in an array can greatly boost a telescopes viewing power. Array telescope in space can then use infrared interferometry to detect exoplanets and their companion stars. This method is the newest method of detecting exoplanets but it seems to be the most promising because array telescopes could potentially easily detect exoplanets that take years to detect using other methods.