This video shows a simulation of how an exomoon orbiting an exoplanet around a distant star would look like on graphs similar to those that we look at in class. After discovery of exoplanet's from the kepler telescopes, scientists are now capable of detecting large moons circling planets around other stars. These exomoons modify the shape, timing, and duration of the transiting eclipsing lightcurve of their host planet as they pass in front of the star. As the moon orbits the planet and the planet passes in front of the star, the light intensity (flux) of the star system drops and shows a significant blip in the light time graph. As the moon comes in front of the star along with the planet, there are different curvatures and shapes to the dip in the light intensity that would explain phenomena other than simply just a single planet eclipsing in front of the star. From watching the video, the moon has a higher inclination of orbit than the planet's flat orbit, and during certain passes in front of the star may not be in the eclipsing light change at all.
http://vimeo.com/46119423
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/exomoons-what-one-would-look-like-from-earth/
3 points.
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