Which of the following methods has led to the most confirmed discoveries of massive planets orbiting near their parent stars?
A)detecting the shift of the star's position against the sky due to the planet's gravitational pull
B)detecting a planet ejected from a binary star system
C)detecting the gravitational effect of an orbiting planet by looking for the Doppler shifts in the star's spectrum
D)detecting the infrared light emitted by the planet
E)detecting the starlight reflected off the planet

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most confirmed discoveries of massive planets orbiting near their parent stars have been made by detecting the gravitational effect of an orbiting planet by looking for the Doppler shifts in the star's spectrum. This technique, known as the radial velocity or wobble method, involves measuring tiny changes in the star's spectrum caused by its motion around the center of mass of the star-planet system.

Which of the Following Methods Has Led to the Most