Current Research Project Goal: Obtain high precision measurements of Transiting Exoplanets (TEPs) in order to determine the physical properties of the planets with minimal uncertainties.
Methodology: Use the defocusing technique with MINERVA telescopes, located on Mt. Hopkins, to observe bright stars with exoplanet candidates.
Background
The study of exoplanets is a relatively new field of research. Although great scientists like Benjamin Banneker contemplated the topic as far back as the 18th century, the astronomy community have only recently confirmed that exoplanets exist. To clarify, an exoplanet, or formerly known as extra-solar planet, is a planet that revolves around a star that is not our Sun. A paper published in 1995 announced Mayor and Queloz' discovery of the first known exoplanet. In 1999, Harvard's very own David Charbonneau led the team that found the first transiting exoplanet.
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| Artist's rendering of the exoplanet known as 51 Pegasi b. Discovered by Mayor and Queloz, they are credited for being the first to confirm the existence of exoplanets. |
Non-Transit and Transiting Exoplanets
In order to confirm the finding of an exoplanet, astronomers use photometry and spectroscopy. Simply put, photometry is the measurement of light/electromagnetic radiation/photons and spectroscopy is the study of how matter reacts to electromagnetic radiation. Photometry helps astronomers produce graphs known as light curves. Spectroscopy allows astronomers to determine how fast an object is moving toward or away from the observer and helps to produce radial velocity plots. Both light curves and radial velocity plots are used to detect, confirm and analyze exoplanets. These plots become even more fascinating when the star being observed by an astronomer is also being transited by its revolving exoplanet.
to be continued...
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