What celestial characteristic of the host star can mask or mimic the transit signal, making the method impractical?

Answer

High magnetic activity, such as frequent flares or large starspots.

Active stars introduce intrinsic background noise through flares or spots that can mask the tiny, periodic dip caused by a transiting planet, making the required precision unattainable.

What celestial characteristic of the host star can mask or mimic the transit signal, making the method impractical?

#Videos

Searching for Exoplanets: The Transit Method - YouTube

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