Exoplanet discovery diagrams

Exoplanet discovery diagrams visually represent how astronomers detect planets outside our solar system. They often illustrate methods such as the transit method, where a planet passes in front of its star, causing a slight dip in brightness; or the radial velocity method, where the star wobbles due to gravitational pull from an orbiting planet, shifting its light spectrum. These diagrams show star-planet systems, the observer’s viewpoint, and data signals like dips or spectral shifts. They help explain the detection process, showing how planets are identified through subtle changes in starlight caused by the planet's presence.