NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2013A-0229
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2013A-0229 |
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PI: Natalie Hinkel, NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, natalie.hinkel@gmail.com
Address: 770 South Wilson Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
CoI: Stephen Kane, NASA Exoplanet Science Institute
CoI: Kaspar von Braun, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
Title: Detecting Transit Signatures for Southern Sky Exoplanets Orbiting Bright Hosts
Abstract:
Photometric follow-up of planets discovered by the radial velocity
technique have yielded known transiting extra-solar planets, especially
for those with the brightest host stars (e.g., HD 209458b). By using
the radial velocity curves of known planets, an optimized photometric
follow-up strategy can be constructed to predict transit times. The
only limitation to photometric precision is determined by the chosen
telescope/instrument and small uncertainties in the timing of the
transit. Unfortunately, many of the photometric observations of the
southern hemisphere host stars do not have the precision to confirm or
exclude the transits of planets. We propose to use the CTIO 0.9m to
conduct a photometric survey of transit signatures for 15 exoplanet host
stars as part of the Transit Ephemeris Refinement and Monitoring Survey
(TERMS). We aim to produce transit ephemerides via optimal observing
windows for each of the known radial velocity planets observable from
CTIO with a sufficiently high transit probability and signal-to-noise
ratio. In combination with literature and TERMS radial velocity data,
we are then able to fully characterize the planetary system and
determine if a transit occurs. In the case of a null detection, our
photometry is used to place constraints on orbital and astrophysical
parameters of the planet.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2013A-0229 |
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