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Exo planet survey


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A couple of years ago I was on an Open University maths revision weekend. The man sitting next to me was a butcher by trade but also an amateur astronomer and we got talking. He told me that his local astronomy group was carrying out observations in order to confirm exoplanet identifications carried out by one of the space telescopes. I think the idea was that the space telescope identified possible exoplanets but these had to be independently confirmed and that this was a task which could be carried out by amateur astronomers with the right equipment and know-how. So I wondered if there is anyone here involved in such an enterprise.

Cheers

Steve

  

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  • 4 weeks later...

The analysis for exoplanets is actually relatively maths/computing light.  All you need to do is plot a graph, make a few measurements on the graph, and then plug those numbers into a few formulae.  It is good fun.  (Obviously for research-grade stuff the precision needs to be higher).  Try here for a start http://resources.faulkes-telescope.com/course/view.php?id=131 , but other sites are available...

Have fun

Helen

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PS One of the ideas we have for the future for SGL is to go more into the science element and with group projects.  Exoplanets is an obvious one, but comets, asteroids, supernova, binary stars etc are also possibilities.  With the Gaia Mission now putting out lots of data https://gaia.ac.uk/education https://gaia.ac.uk/alerts there would seem to be a great opportunity to contribute while having some group fun!

Helen

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The scientists involved in the front line of these projects are very helpful, I suppose if they want the public's help then they have to be, as they have written the software for this particular project that means you are not exposed to the raw data http://home.dtm.ciw.edu/ebps/ . It is very interesting but I imagine time consuming. For those willing  and able to put in the effort, especially initially, it may be very rewarding.

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Steve is correct to say that amateurs have been confirming exoplanet transits using photometry.  If there are any members of Stargazers lounge interested in finding out about this here are a couple of  references that may be helpful:

Mark Salisbury, Astronomy Now, September 2014 pages 60-63

Darryl Sergison, Journal of the British Astronomical Association, June 2013 pages 153-156

The BAA is currently consulting on a possible PRO/AM collaboration in support of the TWINKLE/ ARIEL proposed space missions. The contact at BAA is Richard Miles, BAA Asteroids and Remote Planets Section Director.

There is an on-line Exoplanet Transit Database at var2.astrocz/ETD/ that you may find useful. (I'm not sure if I've added a working link - if not Google the "Exoplanet Transit Database).

Clear skies,

John

 

 

 

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I believe that there at 59 potentially habitable planets on the "optimistic" list at the moment. Only 8 on the "realistic" list. Quite a few of these are "candidates". The existence of these exo planets is notoriously difficult to verify.

I'll post the relevant link when I get access to home IT. The university of Puerto Rico is the exo planet collating centre. A read of their site is well worth the time.

Paul

PS. The numbers are from memory. So are the right ball park. But may be a couple out.

 

 

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