Re: Number of low eccentricity distant planets

On 29 veebr, 22:35, Erik Max Francis <m...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> Crown-Horned Snorkack wrote:
> > Except that you do not see the velocity - it is fundamentally
> > impossible to distinguish from overall peculiar motion of the star
> > itself.
>
> > You can only see the acceleration.
>
> No, what is seen is the _change_ in velocity of the star due to the
> orbiting planet.  Change in velocity isn't acceleration; acceleration is
> the time rate of change on velocity.
>
> The star has some peculiar radial velocity.  You look for changes in
> that radial velocity for evidence of planets.  The changes center around
> the peculiar velocity itself, so you can factor that out.
>
Which you cannot do if you do not see the changes over your period of
observations.