First look: Exoplanets

"This new instrument is known as CHARIS, an acronym for Coronagraphic High Angular Resolution Imaging Spectrograph. It was built by a team led by N. Jeremy Kasdin, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton. CHARIS features nine mirrors, five filters, two prism assemblies, and a microlens array. It weighs 226.8 kg (500 lbs), and is maintained at -223.15 C (50 Kelvin, -369 F)."

Soon, we may be able to see far-off planets with more clarity.

http://futurism.com/for-the-first-time-in-history-we-are-seeing-alien-worlds/