Calculating Transit Duration for Transiting Exoplanets: A Step-by-Step Guide

Join this channel to get access to perks:    / @astrophil2000   Support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/astrophil Welcome to this video where I discuss how to derive the transit duration for a transiting exoplanet. Transit Duration refers to the time it takes for an exoplanet to pass across its host star as observed from Earth. This event, known as a transit, causes a temporary dimming of the star's light, which can be detected and analysed. Phases of a Transit: Ingress: The beginning of the transit when the planet starts to move across the star's disk. Full Transit: When the planet is fully on the star's disk but not yet starting to exit. Egress: When the planet begins to leave the star's disk until it has completely exited. Defining Transit Duration: The transit duration is the total time from the start of ingress to the end of egress. It measures how long the planet takes to cross the star's disc, including both the ingress and egress phases, and is influenced by: Orbital Period: The time it takes for the planet to complete one orbit around the star. Star's Radius: A larger star will have a longer transit duration. Planet's Radius: Although generally small, it contributes slightly to the duration. Semi-Major Axis: The average distance from the planet to the star.