 |
| Photo courtesy: NASA |
Scientists use Transit
method to measure the size of the planet. Recently scientists found another
planet which resembles earth. Apparent
light of the object for which the size is to be measured will reduce when it
blocks the tiny portion of the star, while the object passes between the
observer sight and the star.
Sensitive instruments are used to measure
this drop in light. The orbit and size of the planet and its companions can be
measured. Smaller planets will produce smaller effect and bigger planets will
produce bigger effect.
A
terrestrial planet in an Earth-like orbit, for example, would produce a minute
dip in stellar brightness that would last just a few hours.
Missions
that use the transit method, such as the Kepler and Corot spacecraft, are able
to monitor large numbers of stars at once for the dimming caused by a transit.
The Kepler mission has discovered more than 1,000 potential exoplanets using
this method.
Date : 18/02/2016
Date : 18/02/2016