Abstract　 　　
　Observations of secondary eclipses, when a planet passes behind its host star, provide an unparalleled opportunity to study the emission spectra of extrasolar planets. They enable the study of planetary atmospheric temperature-pressure structure, chemical composition, heat recirculation, and also shed light on where and how these planets formed. I present our recent progress and results from observations of hot Jupiters' atmospheres using the Palomar Hale telescope and the WIRC instrument. We have improved the telescope's guiding precision and characterized the non-classical flux-dependent linearity of WIRC, allowing us to detect the thermal emission from a few hot Jupiters and demonstrating the telescope's capability of characterizing exoplanetary atmospheres in the near-IR. I will also outline the prospects for future improvements in photometry precision, and for spectroscopy of exoplanetary atmospheres.