For Educators · Exoplanet Transit
Exoplanet Transit for a binary star
Built for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs. Simulate a binary star live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.
Exoplanet TransitLive
the transit method · light curves
Controls
Presets
As a planet crosses its star, it blocks a tiny fraction of the light — a dip of depth (Rp/Rs)². This is how Kepler and TESS have found thousands of exoplanets. Impact parameter sets how centrally the planet crosses, changing the transit shape and duration. Drag the planet across the star to set its phase, or up and down to set the impact parameter — the light curve updates live.
Data Inspector
Transit depth1.00%
Rp/Rs0.10
Impact b0.20
Governing equation
Reading this result: The dip depth is almost exactly (Rp/Rs)², so measuring how much light is blocked directly gives the planet's size relative to its star. The width of the dip is the transit duration, which — combined with how often it repeats — follows from the planet's orbital period and speed across the disk.
Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.
Also for:StudentsResearchersEngineersHobbyists & MakersK-12 StudentsFirst RespondersGeneral version →
More with Exoplanet Transit
Frequently asked questions
- Is this good for educators?
- Yes — this version of "Exoplanet Transit for a binary star" is framed for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs.
- Do I need to install anything?
- No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.