Exoplanets: How to Find an Exoplanet
Clip: Special | 1m 4sVideo has Closed Captions
Astronomers use the transit method to find exoplanets.
Scientists have several ways to find exoplanets. Learn more about radial velocity, the transit method, direct imaging, and gravitational microlensing.
Science Trek is a local public television program presented by IdahoPTV
Major Funding by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation and the Idaho National Laboratory. Additional Funding by Sparklight, the Friends of Idaho Public Television and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Exoplanets: How to Find an Exoplanet
Clip: Special | 1m 4sVideo has Closed Captions
Scientists have several ways to find exoplanets. Learn more about radial velocity, the transit method, direct imaging, and gravitational microlensing.
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Science Trek
Science Trek is a place where parents, kids, and educators can watch short, educational videos on a variety of science topics. Every Monday Science Trek releases a new video that introduces children to math, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career potentials in a fun, informative way.(SCIENCE TREK MUSIC) JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, HOST: Scientists have several different ways to find an exoplanet.
One is called radial velocity.
Orbiting planets cause a change in the color of the light of a star.
Astronomers call it a wobble.
Another method is called a transit.
When a planet passed between the star and the observer, the light of the star dims a tiny amount.
That change in light indicates a possible exoplanet.
Astronomers can also take pictures of an exoplanet by blocking out the glare of the star it orbits.
That's called direct imaging.
Then there's gravitational microlensing.
Light from a distant star get bent and focused by gravity as an exoplanet passes between that star and Earth.
And finally, astronomers look for very tiny or minuscule movements of stars in relation to other nearby stars.
The orbit of a planet can cause its star to wobble in its orbit.
Exoplanets are very far away and difficult to spot, but scientists are working hard to find them.
For more information about exoplanets, check out the Science Trek website.
You'll find it at ScienceTrek.org.
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Science Trek is a local public television program presented by IdahoPTV
Major Funding by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation and the Idaho National Laboratory. Additional Funding by Sparklight, the Friends of Idaho Public Television and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.