Exoplanet Transit Animations

When a planet passes directly between a star and its observer, it dims the star's light by a measurable amount. This animation shows a single planet and the corresponding light curve.

When a planet passes directly between a star and its observer, it dims the star's light by a measurable amount. Larger planets block more light. This animation compares two planets of different sizes and shows the changes in the light curves.

When a planet passes directly between a star and its observer, it dims the star's light by a measurable amount. Light curves get complicated when more planets are transiting a star. The combined light curves can give us the same information as a single one, it just takes more work from astronomers to pick out each planet in the data.