Ben Oppenheimer: Planet Hunter

Front

What does the word “extrasolar” mean?

Back

Beyond our solar system.

Front

Why is visiting the nearest extrasolar planet not possible?

Back

It is about 25 trillion miles from Earth, which is far beyond current travel ability.

Front

What is the central idea of Ben Oppenheimer's work?

Back

Ben Oppenheimer creates tools to help study planets outside our solar system.

Front

What major difficulty does Oppenheimer face when trying to see light from an extrasolar planet?

Back

Stars are hundreds of millions to billions of times brighter than the planets that orbit them, causing glare.

Front

What detail supports the idea that Oppenheimer is successful in his work?

Back

He and other scientists have already found more than eight hundred extrasolar planets.

Front

What is an extrasolar planet?

Back

A planet that orbits a star outside our solar system.

Front

What tools does Ben Oppenheimer create?

Back

Tools to help study and observe planets outside our solar system.

Front

Why is it difficult to photograph planets?

Back

Because stars are much brighter than the planets, causing glare.

Front

What is the distance to the nearest extrasolar planet?

Back

About 25 trillion miles from Earth.

Front

What is the role of telescopes in studying extrasolar planets?

Back

Telescopes are used to observe and gather light from distant planets.