The Doppler technique can be used to measure the orbital period of a planet by
A)measuring the speed at which the star orbits the mutual center- of- mass of the star and planet.
B)measuring the amount by which the starlight is reduced when the planet transits.
C)measuring the time it takes for the star's line- of- sight velocity to cycle from peak to peak.
D)measuring the asymmetries in the velocity curve.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Doppler technique, also known as the radial velocity method, measures the star's line-of-sight velocity by analyzing the star's spectrum. As a planet orbits a star, it causes the star to move slightly towards and away from the observer, causing a periodic Doppler shift in the star's spectrum. By measuring the time it takes for the star's line-of-sight velocity to cycle from peak to peak, we can determine the orbital period of the planet.

The Doppler Technique Can Be Used to Measure the Orbital