Transit depth

Definition

Transit depth measures the decrease in a star's brightness as a planet passes in front of it. It is used to determine the size of the exoplanet relative to its host star.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Transit depth is directly related to the size ratio between the exoplanet and its host star.
2. A deeper transit indicates a larger planet or a closer proximity to the star during transit.
3. Transit depth helps astronomers estimate an exoplanet's radius when combined with other observations.
4. It is typically expressed as a percentage or fraction representing how much light is blocked by the planet.
5. The Kepler Space Telescope has used transit depth measurements extensively to discover thousands of exoplanets.

Review Questions

Related terms

Exoplanet:

A planet that orbits a star outside our solar system.

Light Curve:

A graph showing how the brightness of an astronomical object changes over time.

Kepler Space Telescope:

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