Exoplanet hunting is significantly easier because of this. We also know where to look because each star acts as a beacon indicating that there may be planets and the field of view required for detection is minimal. We don't really need to calculate where they may be, we just have to observe in one small spot of the sky for a bit of time and see if the brightness level changes.
Trying to detect another planet around our own sun we could potentially calculate for, but even trying to observe it may be incredibly difficult as it could be a very dark object that doesn't radiate much of anything and if it is passed neptune it is barely receiving any light from our sun. Add in that it technically could be anywhere within sky, more realistically within the 17 degrees all other planets of the sky are within, we still would have to look over huge swaths of the sky to try and find it. A most difficult task indeed.
TorontoCorsair t1_jd5fk2c wrote
Reply to comment by UrsusRomanus in Is there another massive planet beyond Neptune? If so, why haven’t we found it? by Always2ndB3ST
This.
Exoplanet hunting is significantly easier because of this. We also know where to look because each star acts as a beacon indicating that there may be planets and the field of view required for detection is minimal. We don't really need to calculate where they may be, we just have to observe in one small spot of the sky for a bit of time and see if the brightness level changes.
Trying to detect another planet around our own sun we could potentially calculate for, but even trying to observe it may be incredibly difficult as it could be a very dark object that doesn't radiate much of anything and if it is passed neptune it is barely receiving any light from our sun. Add in that it technically could be anywhere within sky, more realistically within the 17 degrees all other planets of the sky are within, we still would have to look over huge swaths of the sky to try and find it. A most difficult task indeed.