Reply to post: Re: Or rings?

Massive rugby ball-shaped planet emerges from scrum of space 'scope sightings

Cuddles

Re: Or rings?

No. These observations are basically looking at the intensity of light coming from the star, and spotting how the intensity drops when a planet passes in front of it. Planetary rings are extremely diffuse collections of dust and small objects, and therefore won't block anywhere near as much light as the body of a planet. Seeing planets in this way has only become possible in the last couple of decades, and this is the first time someone has managed to get some idea of the shape of such a planet. Measuring things like rings and moons will need a few orders of magnitude more sensitivty, and so is likely at least a couple more decades away, if it becomes possible at all.

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