Planets and Moons ID: 11413

Exploring Outer Worlds

Story by Dan Gallagher Released on December 17, 2013

Since the early 1990s, astronomers have known that distant planets orbit stars light-years from Earth. Although most of these alien worlds, called exoplanets, are too far away to be imaged directly, scientists have made detailed observations of their size and composition. One method of study involves watching a planet as it transits its host star. By measuring how the brightness and color of a star changes when a planet crosses in front of its disk, astronomers can indirectly determine the mass of the planet and the proximity of its orbit. Similar measurements can provide other key information, like the chemical makeup of a planet's atmosphere. Watch the video to learn more.

When a planet crosses in front of a star, some of the star's light is absorbed, and some is transmitted, passing through the planet's atmosphere.

Scientists can identify which chemicals are present in a planet’s atmosphere by separating transmitted light into a spectrum of colors.

Story Credits

Visualizers/Animators:
Dan Gallagher (USRA)
Michael Lentz (USRA)
Chris Smith (HTSI)
Scott Wiessinger (USRA)

Video Editor:
Dan Gallagher (USRA)

Narration:
Dan Gallagher (USRA)
Avi Mandell (NASA/GSFC)

Narrator:
Dan Gallagher (USRA)

Producer:
Dan Gallagher (USRA)

Lead Scientist:
Avi Mandell (NASA/GSFC)

Lead Writer:
Dan Gallagher (USRA)

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Cover image courtesy of ESA/Hubble

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11413

Keywords:
DLESE >> Narrated
SVS >> App
NASA Science >> Planets and Moons