<p>Think of when the planet is at the "side" - there's a little bit of light from the planet (ie, reflecting off the planet) shining towards us.</p>

<p>Could it be due to that little bit of light - when the planet is behind the star, it no longer reflects towards us?</p>

<p>Maybe that's the effect you have in mind?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-27T20:19:09.470Z
2016-06-27T20:19:09.470Z
Fattie
<p>There is a video explaing the transiting exoplanet light curve — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrusIZaWDW8" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrusIZaWDW8</a></p>

<p>It is clear to my why the curve goes down when the planet is between the observer and the star, but I don't understand why the curve goes a little bit down when the the planet is behind the star. I was expected that this should not change the light curve at all.</p>

<star><planet><observational-astronomy><exoplanet><light>
Why the light curve goes down when the planet is behind the star?
bessarabov
# Why the light curve goes down when the planet is behind the star?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-06-26)

There is a video explaing the transiting exoplanet light curve — <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrusIZaWDW8>

It is clear to my why the curve goes down when the planet is between the observer and the star, but I don't understand why the curve goes a little bit down when the the planet is behind the star. I was expected that this should not change the light curve at all.

**Tags:** star, planet, observational-astronomy, exoplanet, light

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-06-27. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

Think of when the planet is at the "side" - there's a little bit of light from the planet (ie, reflecting off the planet) shining towards us.

Could it be due to that little bit of light - when the planet is behind the star, it no longer reflects towards us?

Maybe that's the effect you have in mind?


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