Astronomy 1021 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Radial Velocity, Methods Of Detecting Exoplanets, Light Curve
16 Jan 2019
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Explain how the transit and radial velocity methods of detecting extrasolar planets work. Planets outside of our solar system, we are too far away from other solar systems from seeing them, only their stars. There are many ways of finding exoplanets: direct imaging, indirect, gravitational tugs. Gravitational tugs explain that the planets effect the orbit of their star. The doppler shift method uses spectroscopy (radiation) to measure changed in a star"s velocity, we can only detect velocities towards or away from us (blue/redshifts) Measures planets by measuring the minute dimming of a star as an orbiting planet passes between it and earth. If this dimming is recorded at regular intervals and lasts a fixed time, it is probable that it is an exoplanet. It is a lot easier to detect some types of planets than others (easier to observe big planets compared to smaller ones)
