Exoplanets are planets orbiting stars outside our solar system. Obviously, they are not visible to the naked eye: these distant worlds are discovered by studying the effects they have on their parent stars or their environment.
Today, with thousands of exoplanets confirmed, the study of these planets provides critical insight into planetary systems beyond our own, as well as the potential for life elsewhere in the universe.
There are up to ten different methods for detecting exoplanets, each with its own characteristics and advantages, but one of the most successful and accessible is the transit method.
This method consists of observing the brightness of a star over time. When a planet passes in front of its star, it causes a slight dimming of the starlight. By observing these periodic decreases in brightness, astronomers can deduce the size of the planet, its orbital period, and its distance from the star.
Fortunately, this method can also be used by amateur astronomers with modest telescopes from Earth. With the right equipment and a little training, amateurs can detect transits of exoplanets, contributing valuable data to ongoing research.
One example of this collaboration between amateurs and professionals is the ExoClock project.
Qatar-6b 15/01/2025
Located in the constellation Bootes, it is 418 light-years away from us and takes only 3.7 days to complete one orbit around its star. Its discovery was announced in 2017.
Its mass is 0.668 times that of Jupiter, and the distance to its star is 0.0423 AU.
Transit taken remotely on 15/01/2025 (with Moon at 96%) with TOA-150 telescope and STL-11000M camera (47 150-second exposures)
Link to transit information in ExoClock. (page takes a few seconds to load)
Link to more information on this exoplanet at Exoplanet.eu
TOI-1811b 14/01/2025
Located in the constellation Coma Berenices, it is 418 light-years away from us and takes only 3.7 days to complete one orbit around its star. Its discovery was announced in 2022.
Its mass is 0.97 times that of Jupiter, and the distance to its star is 0.04389 AU.
Transit taken remotely on 14/01/2025 (with Moon at 95%) with TOA-150 telescope and STL-11000M camera (69 150-second exposures)
Link to transit information in ExoClock. (page takes a few seconds to load)
Link to more information on this exoplanet at Exoplanet.eu
XO-2Nb 11/01/2025
Located in the constellation Lynx, it is 486 light-years away from us and takes only 2.6 days to complete one orbit around its star. Its discovery was announced in 2007.
Its mass is 0.62 times that of Jupiter, and the distance to its star is 0.0368 AU.
Transit taken remotely on 11/01/2025 (with Moon at 95%) with TOA-150 telescope and STL-11000M camera (100 120-second exposures)
Link to transit information in ExoClock. (page takes a few seconds to load)
Link to more information on this exoplanet at Exoplanet.eu
XO-7b 16/12/2024
Located in the constellation Ursa Minor, it is 764 light-years away from us and takes only 2.9 days to complete one orbit around its star. Its discovery
was announced in 2019.
Its mass is 0.726 times that of Jupiter, and the distance to its star is 0.0432 AU.
Transit taken remotely on 16/12/2024 (with Moon at 98%) with TOA-150 telescope and STL-11000M camera (115 90-second exposures)
Link to transit in ExoClock. (page takes a few seconds to load)
HAT-P-16b 15/09/2024
HAT-P-16b is a gas giant exoplanet orbiting HAT-P-16, an F- type star with an apparent magnitude of 10.9 and a size close to that of our Sun (Mass = 1.22 Msun, Radius = 1.24 Rsun).
Located in the constellation Andromeda, it is 739 light-years away from us and takes only 2.8 days to complete one orbit around its star. Its discovery was announced in 2010.
Its mass is 4.19 times that of Jupiter, and the distance to its star is 0.0413 AU.
Transit taken remotely on 14/09/2024 (with Moon at 85%) with TOA-150 telescope and STL-11000M camera (110 120-second exposures)
Link to transit in ExoClock. (page takes a few seconds to load)
HAT-P-32b 22/07/2024
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Located in the constellation Perseus, it is 943 light-years away from us and takes only 2.2 days to complete one orbit around its star. Its discovery was announced in 2011.
Its mass is 1.98 times that of Jupiter, and the distance to its star is 0.03397 AU.
Transit taken remotely on 22/07/2024 (with Moon at 97%) with TOA-150 telescope and STL-11000M camera.
TrES-1b 15/04/2024
Located in the constellation Lyra, it is 523 light-years away from us and takes only 3.03 days to complete one orbit around its star. Its discovery was announced in 2004.
Its mass is 0.697 times that of Jupiter and the distance to its star is 0.03925 AU.
Transit taken remotely on 15/04/2024 (with Moon at 51%) with TOA-150 telescope and STL-11000M camera.
KELT-23 Ab: My first exoplanet transit (confirmed and published) 23/03/2024
KELT-23 Ab is a gas giant orbiting BD+66 911, a G-type star (some studies indicate it is G2V-type) with a size very close to that of our Sun (Mass=0.942 Msun, Radius=0.996 Rsun).
It is 412 light-years away from us and takes only 2.3 days to complete one orbit around its star. Its discovery was announced in 2019.
Its mass is 0.938 times that of Jupiter and the distance to its star is 0.03302 AU.
Transit taken remotely on 23/03/2024 (with Moon at 98%) with TOA-150 telescope and STL-11000M camera.
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