NASA | Alien Atmospheres

The video explores exoplanets, focusing on how astronomers study them using indirect methods. It explains the transit method to determine planet size and mass, and how light absorption reveals atmospheric composition. Case studies of Wasp-19b and GJ 1214b illustrate diverse exoplanetary atmospheres. Future research aims to find Earth-like planets with potential signs of life.

What method do astronomers use to determine the size of an exoplanet?

• By calculating the distance from its star

• By analyzing the planet's color

• By observing the dip in brightness during a transit

• By measuring the planet's temperature

How do astronomers identify the chemical makeup of an exoplanet's atmosphere?

• By measuring the planet's gravitational pull

• By calculating the planet's density

• By analyzing absorption bands in the light spectrum

• By observing the planet's orbit speed

What does a jagged transit depth curve suggest about an exoplanet's atmosphere?

• It has no atmosphere

• It is composed mostly of water vapor

• It has a shallow atmosphere

• It has a deep atmosphere with complex chemicals

Which molecule is more abundant in the atmosphere of planet Wasp 19 B?

• Water vapor

• Oxygen

• Carbon dioxide

• Methane

What characteristic of planet Gleiser 1214B suggests it is a water world?

• Its large size

• Its rapid orbit around the star

• Its nearly flat transit depth curve

• Its high temperature