Tag: KELT-18b

Analysis Report for first partial Exoplanet Data – IMT3 Observatory

I managed to get only 45 minutes worth of data the other night to test if I could both acquire data and then process it. It took some time to get the downloaded HOPS software from the ExoClock mission working on my Mac, but with the help of Angelos from the project. So I opened the 46 images, I did not capture darks or flats and of course no bias due to it being a CMOS camera. I added information about the observatory and then ran the reduction and alignment code.

Completion of details and opening of 46 images

So the initial chart looked promising, I had taken the first set of frames almost on time for the transit even though you are supposed to start 1 hour before. This was because it took me so long to setup. So the data looks like it shows a decrease in brightness over the 45mins, however I have asked Angelos for his opinion and await a response.

Output from clicking Run Reduction

I then selected the target star, KELT-18 with the red circle below, along with 5 comparison stars. I may have selected stars incorrectly here as they are probably suppose to be not variable.

Alignment and comparison star window

The resulting table appeared with the size of the box for each star and its position.

Resulting target and comparison stars

I then ran the photometry code and the following chart was created which to me showed I had done something wrong given the scatter.

Graph output with actual photometric values and PSF in red

I then for fun ran the fitting code from this screen.

Information for Fitting

The fitting showed and increase in brightness which was clearly incorrect. So I have learned a few things with this, first is to read up on using the software for analysis, second is to gain more data and calibration frames.

Resulting output clearly showing problems with data

Viewing Report 25th December 2019 – IMT3 Observatory

Viewing time period – 19:10 – 20:32

EXOPLANET – KELT-18b

As always on Christmas Day, or at least it seems so, the sky was clear for a period of time before the clouds rolled in. The day was dry and cold, sunny and bright, the first time in over a month of rain. Now was the time to take a look at a star and see if I could calibrate my setup for imaging an exoplanet transit.

All Sky Camera

I used the exoclock.space website to find objects for my location and then entered the RA and DEC into The Sky X (TSX) and slewed to it. The star and its associated planet tonight was KELT-18 and the planet KELT-18b. This was very low to the North when I slewed and I struggled doing a slew and sync with the scope in TSX due to not enough stars found.

Exoplanet Target List from Exoclock.com

So instead I placed the RA and DEC into SGPro and asked that to perform a slew and solve, which incidentally worked an absolute treat. The star was centred in the middle of the FoV and the star pattern matched that from the Exoclock website which they give you.

Kelt-18b details including interactive star map

I then setup SGPro to take as many images as I could, each being 1min long as I could not find a guide star. At 1min I did not get any trailing and I should have said, all of this through the 12″. I set the cooler to -28℃ which consumed about 26% power so nicely cold. I choose the red filter as described to lower the amount of noise in the image and allow calibration with other astronomers images.

Resulting image

I had to change the user profile to the Comet profile as I did not wan the guider trying to settle, so restarted the run and was off. I managed to go for around an hour and thus grabbed 46 images. I am not sure if I can use the HOPS software from Exoclock to plot these but will try. I did not bother with calibration frames and if needed I can grab some later.

SGPro sequence running

Either way, a good hours viewing in-between the outgoing festive cheer from one side of my family and the incoming festive cheer tomorrow from the other.

Merry Christmas and Clear Skies