A nearby star is discovered to have a high mass planet at a very small distance from it. What would its radial velocity curve look like?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The high mass planet is very close to the star, so its gravitational influence will cause the star to wobble rapidly back and forth. This will create a large amplitude in the radial velocity curve, as the star moves quickly towards and away from us. The wavelength will also be short, as the planet's orbit is small, causing the star to complete one full orbit quickly.

A Nearby Star Is Discovered to Have a High Mass