Exoplanets
In 2018, Richard Tonello (head astronomer at GDC in Gingin, Australia) told me he wanted to record exoplanet transits; I thought 'this would be very difficult to achieve with our equipment' !!!
Early 2021 I found myself trying to image those transits and for my surprise it was something that could be achieved with amateur equipment. First attempts were analyses through Mathematica software with homemade algorithms, although results were pretty accurate, they're challenging to be interpreted by other people.
During my 2021 summer holidays in Lanzarote, Spain, I'd started the Exoplorer Course by Boyce Astro in order to learn more about exoplanets. Patrick Boyce put together a great beginners course and introduce me to AstroImageJ software which was developed by MIT-AAVSO guys for NASA missions.
That led my to attend the AAVSO Exoplanets course in November 2021. Dennis Conti (head of Exoplanet Section at AAVSO) was one of the key speaker and introduce us to the collaboration work that amateurs can do to help professionals on this field.
In March 2022 I found myself applying to become a member of TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) Sub-Group 1 (SG1). After the mandatory examination, I'd being accepted as part of the team. I feel so privileged to be part of the 26 AAVSO's fellows inside the ~300 SG1 members :)
The aim of this group is to produce and analyse ground based images of TESS Objects of Interest in order to confirm or rule out the presence of exoplanets.
I'm very grateful of having this opportunity to directly collaborate with the professional and do real science :) !!!
Early 2021 I found myself trying to image those transits and for my surprise it was something that could be achieved with amateur equipment. First attempts were analyses through Mathematica software with homemade algorithms, although results were pretty accurate, they're challenging to be interpreted by other people.
During my 2021 summer holidays in Lanzarote, Spain, I'd started the Exoplorer Course by Boyce Astro in order to learn more about exoplanets. Patrick Boyce put together a great beginners course and introduce me to AstroImageJ software which was developed by MIT-AAVSO guys for NASA missions.
That led my to attend the AAVSO Exoplanets course in November 2021. Dennis Conti (head of Exoplanet Section at AAVSO) was one of the key speaker and introduce us to the collaboration work that amateurs can do to help professionals on this field.
In March 2022 I found myself applying to become a member of TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) Sub-Group 1 (SG1). After the mandatory examination, I'd being accepted as part of the team. I feel so privileged to be part of the 26 AAVSO's fellows inside the ~300 SG1 members :)
The aim of this group is to produce and analyse ground based images of TESS Objects of Interest in order to confirm or rule out the presence of exoplanets.
I'm very grateful of having this opportunity to directly collaborate with the professional and do real science :) !!!
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HAT-P36b
Date: 2022.01.17 Images: 262 x 60" Lum Star coordinates: 12h33m04s; +44d54m55s Star magnitude: 12.14 Star radius: 1.10 Solar radius Planet radius: 1.277 Jupiter radius Transit period: 1.33 days Transit duration: 2:14 hours Transit depth: 15.9 ppt (parts per thousand= a drop of the star magnitude of ~1.59%) Telescope: Meade LX850 12" Camera: QHY268 |
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KELT-23Ab
Date: 2021.05.07 Images: 199 x 60" Green Star coordinates: 15h28m35s; +66d21m31s Star magnitude: 10.31 Star radius: 1.00 Solar radius Planet radius: 1.323 Jupiter radius Transit period: 2.26 days Transit duration: 2:17 hours Transit depth: 17.4 ppt Telescope: Meade LX850 12" Camera: QHY268 |
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TrES-2b
Date: 2021.06.29 Images: 192 x 60" Green Star coordinates: 19h07m14s; +49d18m59s Star magnitude: 11.25 Star radius: 1.06 Solar radius Planet radius: 1.36 Jupiter radius Transit period: 2.47 days Transit duration: 1:52 hours Transit depth: 14.2 ppt Telescope: Meade LX850 12" Camera: QHY268 |
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WASP-2b
Date: 2021.09.04 Images: 242 x 60" Green Star coordinates: 20h30m54s; +06d25m46s Star magnitude: 11.73 Star radius: 0.84 Solar radius Planet radius: 1.081 Jupiter radius Transit period: 2.15 days Transit duration: 1:47 hours Transit depth: 16.5 ppt Telescope: Meade LX850 12" Camera: QHY268 |
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WASP-104b
Date: 2022.02.22 Images: 225 x 50" Lum Star coordinates: 10h42m24s; +07d26m06s Star magnitude: 11.78 Star radius: 0.96 Solar radius Planet radius: 1.137 Jupiter radius Transit period: 1.76 days Transit duration: 1:46 hours Transit depth: 14.7 ppt Telescope: Meade LX850 12" Camera: QHY268 |