Transit of planets
Subject :
When an exoplanet orbits a distant star, the star is bright but the exoplanet is invisible. If, as it moves
around the star, the exoplanet comes between the star and the observer (the Earth), the star’s
luminosity ? decreases. This phenomenon is called a transit. Is this phenomenon measurable and can
exoplanets be detected this way?
Level: Secondary school
Time: approximately 2 hours
Prerequisites:
Objectives:
- Understanding the transit phenomenon.
- Compare transit observations with transits by planets in the Solar System.
Equipment required:
- Calculator.
Subject, Appendices and correction:
Author : Françoise Roques LIRA, Observatoire de Paris, based on an idea by Yaël Nazé