This is one of the few planetary transits to be confirmed around a well-known star, and allowed investigations into the planet's composition.

There are only 18 mutual planetary transits and occultations as seen from Earth between 1700 and 2200.

Radial velocity measurements would help determine the most efficient and time-effective means of observing potential planetary transits.

Technically speaking, when the foreground planet is smaller in apparent size than the background planet, the event should be called a "mutual planetary transit".

Modern interest in planetary transits can be traced from Kepler.

"Kepler-16 combines the best of both worlds, with stellar eclipses and planetary transits in one system."

If other stars have such planets, he said last week, then 50 planetary transits should be seen in the first year of the spacecraft's operations.

The Kepler-16 system combines the best of both worlds with planetary transits across an eclipsing binary system.

- Ability to find the detailed planetary transits for a month.

The book proposes the existence of relationships between planetary transits and events in the lives of major historical figures.