Exoplanet Detection and Characteristics Flashcard

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What is a Hot Jupiter?

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A type of exoplanet that is similar in characteristics to Jupiter but orbits very close to its star, resulting in high temperatures.

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What was the first confirmed multi-planet system around a Sun-like star?

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The Upsilon Andromedae system.

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What does high orbital eccentricity indicate about an exoplanet's orbit?

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It suggests significant gravitational interactions and disturbances during the planet's formation.

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What is the radial velocity method used for in exoplanet detection?

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It detects the 'wobble' of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet.

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Describe Proxima b.

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A 1.3 Earth-mass planet that orbits Proxima Centauri, the closest known star to the Sun.

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What is the significance of the 51 Pegasi b discovery?

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It was the first exoplanet discovered orbiting a Sun-like star, marking a milestone in exoplanet research.

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What are the main methods of exoplanet detection?

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The main methods include the transit method, radial velocity method, direct imaging, and gravitational microlensing.

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What is the transit method in exoplanet detection?

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A technique that measures the dimming of a star's light as a planet passes in front of it.

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What is a Super-Earth?

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An exoplanet with a mass larger than Earth's but significantly less than that of Uranus or Neptune.

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What does the term 'gravitational microlensing' refer to?

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A method of detecting exoplanets by observing the bending of light from a distant star caused by the gravitational field of a planet.