Josh Wynn

That's right. Measuring the coordinates of the star in the sky.

That's right. Measuring the coordinates of the star in the sky.

That's right. Measuring the coordinates of the star in the sky.

Right. The astrometric method is conceptually simpler. We're just seeing the star move in the sky, wiggling back and forth. Now, we can't literally see it with our eyes. These motions are way too small.

Right. The astrometric method is conceptually simpler. We're just seeing the star move in the sky, wiggling back and forth. Now, we can't literally see it with our eyes. These motions are way too small.

Right. The astrometric method is conceptually simpler. We're just seeing the star move in the sky, wiggling back and forth. Now, we can't literally see it with our eyes. These motions are way too small.

The big difference is that the astrometric method, where you're seeing the star wiggle on the sky, is better at finding distant planets, planets with very wide orbits.

The big difference is that the astrometric method, where you're seeing the star wiggle on the sky, is better at finding distant planets, planets with very wide orbits.

The big difference is that the astrometric method, where you're seeing the star wiggle on the sky, is better at finding distant planets, planets with very wide orbits.

It's because the further away the planet is from the star, the larger its orbit, and that also makes the star's orbit wider, too.

It's because the further away the planet is from the star, the larger its orbit, and that also makes the star's orbit wider, too.

It's because the further away the planet is from the star, the larger its orbit, and that also makes the star's orbit wider, too.

And since if we're trying to see the star wiggle, we want the star to be moving as far as possible. Right. So the wider the orbits, the better.

And since if we're trying to see the star wiggle, we want the star to be moving as far as possible. Right. So the wider the orbits, the better.

And since if we're trying to see the star wiggle, we want the star to be moving as far as possible. Right. So the wider the orbits, the better.

Yeah, the big game changer was a European space mission called Gaia. They launched a telescope in 2013. It's actually two telescopes, and they're pointing in different directions. And the telescope is spinning around.

Yeah, the big game changer was a European space mission called Gaia. They launched a telescope in 2013. It's actually two telescopes, and they're pointing in different directions. And the telescope is spinning around.

Yeah, the big game changer was a European space mission called Gaia. They launched a telescope in 2013. It's actually two telescopes, and they're pointing in different directions. And the telescope is spinning around.

In space. So it's a spinning platform with two telescopes. And what the telescope is doing is it's measuring the exact time at which a star crosses through the field of view of each telescope. So every time it rotates and sees a certain star, it clocks that moment.

In space. So it's a spinning platform with two telescopes. And what the telescope is doing is it's measuring the exact time at which a star crosses through the field of view of each telescope. So every time it rotates and sees a certain star, it clocks that moment.