detecting exoplanets and exomoons
DESCRIPTION
With the Lutz 0.5-Meter Telescope. Detecting Exoplanets and Exomoons. By Kimberly Ward-Duong Mentor: Dr. Stephen C. Tegler NAU Dept. of Physics and Astronomy Arizona/NASA Space Grant Research Symposium Tucson, Arizona April 17, 2010. Exoplanets and Their Transits. Extrasolar Planets - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Detecting Exoplanets and Exomoons
By Kimberly Ward-DuongMentor: Dr. Stephen C. Tegler
NAU Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
Arizona/NASA Space Grant Research SymposiumTucson, ArizonaApril 17, 2010
With the Lutz 0.5-Meter Telescope
Exoplanets and Their Transits
Extrasolar Planets 443 systems 71 known to transit Transit/lightcurve relation Tc
Image credit: http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr121/
Our project: 1. Observe stars with known
exoplanet transits 2. Analyze transit lightcurves
Transit Timing Variation (TTV)
Periodic changes in Tc
New technique to detect multiple planet systems Ideal for the detection of other Earths, super-Earths
○ None yet discovered by these means!
http://images.iop.org/objects/phw/world/22/3/36/PWbra1_03-09.jpg
Data Collection
Atmospheric Research Observatory at NAU
Barry Lutz Telescope• 0.5-m (20-in) Ritchey-Chrétien
telescope• Apogee CCD Camera• 150-600+ images • 5-7 hours of data per night
Images courtesy of Dr. Stephen Tegler
Data Reduction Process
Creation of detailed analysis procedure
IRAFDifferential photometry
Plot and model lightcurves using MATLAB
WASP-11/HAT-P-10
ResultsWASP-11/HAT-P-10
•Quadratic limb darkening model fit to data (Mandel & Agol 2002)
•Parameters from discovery paper (West et al. 2009)
•Free parameter: Tc
•Standard deviation: 3 mmag
Discussion/Conclusion Observed transit timing variation?
Yes! Best fit model Tc early by 5 minutes
1.8 sec period difference
Possible explanations
More observations needed to verify/explain findings
Long term project plansGoal: Observe 50-100 transits/objectFurther refine modeling specificationsTechnique may also prove useful
for finding an exomoon
Image credit: http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr121/
Thank you!
And many thanks to:Dr. Stephen TeglerDr. Nadine Barlow
Ms. Kathleen StigmonArron Shiffer
David TollefsenAlex McCanna
NASA and the Arizona Space Grant Consortium
Questions?Artist’s impression of exoplanet HD 189733b
(Giovanni Tinetti)
(Title slide image credit: STScI artist rendition)