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getting old in mke

(815 posts)
4. Actually, they do.
Wed Jun 15, 2016, 01:41 PM
Jun 2016

Since it is a transiting planet and they've now observed two passes, they not only get the size but also can use spectragraphic tools to observe the changes to the stars standard emissions when the planet is in transit. The difference between the before and during spectra allows them to calculate what the composition of the gaseous parts of the planet.

Other exoplanet detection methods don't make the composition detection so easy.

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