Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Valentine Pontifex · 09-29-2002, 05:59 PM

Science there are a lot of science minded people at II, I thought that this might be appropriate here.

As many here know, since 1995 about a hundred or so planets have been discovered around extrasolar stars via their gravitational tug. A few years ago one of these planets was observed in a different manner. By chance, its orbit periodically put it between us and its star to dim in the precisely the same intervals as would be predicted from a planet with the orbit deduced via gravity.

Now astronomers want amateurs to help them check other stars known to have planets to see if those planets transit their star as seen from Earth. Those with the proper equipment (8 inch telescope, CCD equipment commonly used by amateurs, etc.) are being asked to check certain candidate stars.

<a href="http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992842" target="_blank">New Scientist article</a>

<a href="http://www.transitsearch.org/" target="_blank">Official site</a>

Starboy · 09-29-2002, 06:39 PM

Cool, I'll place a link on stargazers.org.

Liquidrage · 09-29-2002, 06:43 PM

Star,
you involved in that?

I've been thinking about coming out for that.
I have a 6" Celestron refractor but where I live I get a lot of light, have a lot of trees etc, so I never get to see anything but the moon

Starboy · 09-29-2002, 06:45 PM

Yes I am. You should come out. We have an awesome dark site. We just recently regained the access to it. It is still somewhat in the air, but for now we can observe.

Starboy

Liquidrage · 09-29-2002, 07:02 PM

Sent you a PM Star.

Idea: Wouldn't a visible "You have a PM" notification from the forum page be a good idea?

Starboy · 09-29-2002, 07:09 PM

Yes it would, since I have replied.

Shadowy Man · 09-30-2002, 08:49 AM

This sounds nearly impossible. The differential brightness they observed was ~2%. I don't think it is feasible to calibrate multiple amateurs' observations, with all of the varying equipment and observing conditions to high enough precision to do this. And that's assuming that the other stars will even have a transiting planet!

Starboy · 09-30-2002, 09:02 AM

It has already been done by amateurs. I don't remember the issue but there was an article in Sky & Telescope. Isn�t nature grand, anyone can be a scientist!

Starboy

[ September 30, 2002: Message edited by: Starboy ]</p>

Coragyps · 09-30-2002, 01:25 PM

Yeah, amateur astronomy is a lot like boating, or mountain climbing - if you want to get serious, you can spend almost any amount you choose on the hobby/addiction. Quite a few folks are doing pro-quality photometry and astrometry with (way sexier than I have) amateur equipment.
Though, to brag a bit, I took my 3-inch refractor out to the wilds Friday night and saw a 6-second long "eclipse" of a star by an asteroid.

Shadowy Man · 09-30-2002, 02:07 PM

Accurate photometry is not easy! Even for the professionals. So, the amateurs need to have some good equipment and be diligent about checking standard stars, keeping track of air mass, etc.

Good luck! It would definitely be cool if something were found this way.

09-29-2002, 05:59 PM	#1
Valentine Pontifex Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy Posts: 3,092	Backyarders needed to study other solar systems Science there are a lot of science minded people at II, I thought that this might be appropriate here. As many here know, since 1995 about a hundred or so planets have been discovered around extrasolar stars via their gravitational tug. A few years ago one of these planets was observed in a different manner. By chance, its orbit periodically put it between us and its star to dim in the precisely the same intervals as would be predicted from a planet with the orbit deduced via gravity. Now astronomers want amateurs to help them check other stars known to have planets to see if those planets transit their star as seen from Earth. Those with the proper equipment (8 inch telescope, CCD equipment commonly used by amateurs, etc.) are being asked to check certain candidate stars. <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992842" target="_blank">New Scientist article</a> <a href="http://www.transitsearch.org/" target="_blank">Official site</a>

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09-29-2002, 06:39 PM	#2
Starboy Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Tallahassee, FL Reality Adventurer Posts: 5,276	Cool, I'll place a link on stargazers.org.

09-29-2002, 06:43 PM	#3
Liquidrage Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,301	Star, you involved in that? I've been thinking about coming out for that. I have a 6" Celestron refractor but where I live I get a lot of light, have a lot of trees etc, so I never get to see anything but the moon

09-29-2002, 06:45 PM	#4
Starboy Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Tallahassee, FL Reality Adventurer Posts: 5,276	Yes I am. You should come out. We have an awesome dark site. We just recently regained the access to it. It is still somewhat in the air, but for now we can observe. Starboy

09-29-2002, 07:02 PM	#5
Liquidrage Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,301	Sent you a PM Star. Idea: Wouldn't a visible "You have a PM" notification from the forum page be a good idea?

09-29-2002, 07:09 PM	#6
Starboy Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Tallahassee, FL Reality Adventurer Posts: 5,276	Yes it would, since I have replied.

09-30-2002, 08:49 AM	#7
Shadowy Man Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: A Shadowy Planet Posts: 7,585	This sounds nearly impossible. The differential brightness they observed was ~2%. I don't think it is feasible to calibrate multiple amateurs' observations, with all of the varying equipment and observing conditions to high enough precision to do this. And that's assuming that the other stars will even have a transiting planet!

09-30-2002, 09:02 AM	#8
Starboy Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Tallahassee, FL Reality Adventurer Posts: 5,276	It has already been done by amateurs. I don't remember the issue but there was an article in Sky & Telescope. Isn�t nature grand, anyone can be a scientist! Starboy [ September 30, 2002: Message edited by: Starboy ]</p>

09-30-2002, 01:25 PM	#9
Coragyps Veteran Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Snyder,Texas,USA Posts: 4,411	Yeah, amateur astronomy is a lot like boating, or mountain climbing - if you want to get serious, you can spend almost any amount you choose on the hobby/addiction. Quite a few folks are doing pro-quality photometry and astrometry with (way sexier than I have) amateur equipment. Though, to brag a bit, I took my 3-inch refractor out to the wilds Friday night and saw a 6-second long "eclipse" of a star by an asteroid.

09-30-2002, 02:07 PM	#10
Shadowy Man Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: A Shadowy Planet Posts: 7,585	Accurate photometry is not easy! Even for the professionals. So, the amateurs need to have some good equipment and be diligent about checking standard stars, keeping track of air mass, etc. Good luck! It would definitely be cool if something were found this way.

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