During the last 15 years, over 450 exoplanets (planets outside our own Solar System) have been discovered. Due to the nature of the discovery techniques, most of these planets are large — more like Jupiter than Earth — and orbit close to their parent star. While a small number of smaller, rocky planets (Super Earths) have been found, the discovery of a true ‘exoearth’ in the habitable zone around its parent star is still beyond the capabilities of our technology. However, in preparation for such a discovery which is likely within the next decade or so, there is considerable interest in how to characterize such planets and their atmospheres. (more…)