Editing 1371: Brightness
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[[Megan]] is using a common exoplanet {{w|Exoplanet#Indirect_methods|discovery technique}} to discover a planet around a nearby star. When a planet passes between an observing astronomer and a star, the planet will block some tiny part of the light coming from that star, causing it to appear dimmer for some amount of time. The {{w|Kepler (spacecraft)|Kepler telescope}} used this technique to find evidence for exoplanets. | [[Megan]] is using a common exoplanet {{w|Exoplanet#Indirect_methods|discovery technique}} to discover a planet around a nearby star. When a planet passes between an observing astronomer and a star, the planet will block some tiny part of the light coming from that star, causing it to appear dimmer for some amount of time. The {{w|Kepler (spacecraft)|Kepler telescope}} used this technique to find evidence for exoplanets. | ||
| − | But here Megan is standing on the surface of the Earth at night, | + | But here Megan is standing on the surface of the Earth at night, presumably looking in the direction of the sun. By observing that it is completely occluded at night, she correctly concludes that the Sun is orbited by at least one planet: the Earth. |
| − | The title text alludes to using more complicated techniques to observe light reflected by small planets like the Earth, for example by detecting {{w|Methods of detecting exoplanets#Polarimetry|polarized light}} reflected from the planet's atmosphere. In some sense, observing the light that reflects off of the Earth during the day is in fact how we see everything around us. | + | The title text alludes to using more complicated techniques to observe light reflected by small planets like the Earth, for example by detecting {{w|Methods of detecting exoplanets#Polarimetry|polarized light}} reflected from the planet's atmosphere. In some sense, observing the light that reflects off of the Earth during the day is in fact how we see everything around us. |
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| + | The title text may also be a reference to [[1231: Habitable Zone]] where an astronomer "discovers" Earth after someone puts a mirror in front of the telescope. | ||
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| + | More details at: {{w|Methods of detecting exoplanets}} | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
| − | :[ | + | :[Megan is standing on a black night-time background, staring at the ground.] |
:Megan: Based on this decrease in the star's brightness, I believe it is orbited by at least one planet. | :Megan: Based on this decrease in the star's brightness, I believe it is orbited by at least one planet. | ||
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:Exoplanet astronomers at night | :Exoplanet astronomers at night | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
[[Category:Astronomy]] | [[Category:Astronomy]] | ||
[[Category:Exoplanets]] | [[Category:Exoplanets]] | ||
