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How to Measure a Planetary Eclipse

Short film

Synopsis

This artist's animation shows a close-up view of a distant giant planet passing behind its star as a regular part of its orbit. By studying "secondary eclipses" like this in infrared light, astronomers can capture and study the direct light of known extrasolar planets. Though they cannot actually distinguish the planet from its star, they can detect changes in the system's total light. Why a secondary eclipse? When a planet transits, or passes in front of, its star, it partially blocks the…

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