Transit

Definition

A transit occurs when a planet passes directly between a star and an observer, causing the star's light to dim temporarily. This method is commonly used to detect planets outside our solar system.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The transit method helps determine the size of an exoplanet based on the amount of starlight it blocks.
2. Kepler Space Telescope has discovered thousands of exoplanets using the transit method.
3. Transits can also provide information about an exoplanet's atmosphere through spectroscopy.
4. The likelihood of detecting a transit depends on the alignment of the planet's orbit with our line of sight.
5. Multiple transits must be observed to confirm the presence of an exoplanet and rule out other phenomena.

Related terms

Exoplanet:

A planet that orbits a star outside our solar system.

Spectroscopy:

A technique used to analyze the composition of a planet's atmosphere by studying its light spectrum.

Kepler Space Telescope:

A space observatory launched by NASA to discover Earth-sized planets orbiting other stars.