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Main-sequence stars earlier than spectral type ~F6 or so are expected torotate rapidly due to their radiative exteriors. This rapid rotation leads toan oblate stellar figure. It also induces the photosphere to be hotter (by upto several thousand Kelvin) at the pole than at the equator as a result of aprocess called gravity darkening that was first predicted by von Zeipel (1924).Transits of extrasolar planets across such a non-uniform, oblate disk yieldunusual and distinctive lightcurves that can be used to determine the relativealignment of the stellar rotation pole and the planet orbit normal. Thisspin-orbit alignment can be used to constrain models of planet formation andevolution. Orderly planet formation and migration within a disk that iscoplanar with the stellar equator will result in spin-orbit alignment. Moreviolent planet-planet scattering events should yield spin-orbit misalignedplanets. Rossiter-McLaughlin measurements of transits of lower-mass stars showthat some planets are spin-orbit aligned, and some are not. SinceRossiter-McLaughlin measurements are difficult around rapid rotators,lightcurve photometry may be the best way to determine the spin-orbit alignmentof planets around massive stars. The Kepler mission will monitor ~10^4 of thesestars within its sample. The lightcurves of any detected planets will allow usto probe the planet formation process around high-mass stars for the firsttime.

Transit Lightcurves of Extrasolar Planets Orbiting Rapidly-Rotating Stars