Illustrations
Seven planets orbiting the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1
August 31, 2017 · ESA/Hubble
This is an artist’s impression of the TRAPPIST-1 system, showcasing all seven planets in various phases. When a planet transits across the disk of the red dwarf host star, as two of the planets here are shown to do, it creates a dip in the star’s light that can be detected from Earth.
Also during such transits astronomers are able to study the potential atmospheres of these planets.
