Finding exoplanets around eclipsing binaries: a feasibility study using Mt Kent & Moore Observatories

Soutter, Jack Lang (2012) Finding exoplanets around eclipsing binaries: a feasibility study using Mt Kent & Moore Observatories. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The project aims to test the feasibility of using Mt Kent and Moore Observatories to find exoplanets in orbit around eclipsing binary stars. For these stars the timing of eclipse variations caused by an orbiting planet is something suited to small telescopes as it relies on
timing precision that can be readily obtained. In this project some test data for the eclipsing binaries V775 Centaurus and LT Herculis have been obtained using 0.5m aperture telescopes at Mt Kent (Queensland) and Moore (Kentucky), and the data reduced and analysed to produce light curves and times of eclipse minima, in a very limited search for new planets. Although no evidence for a planet was found from the limited dataset collected, interpretation of the results suggests that Mt Kent and Moore Observatories are capable of finding exoplanets around eclipsing binary stars, if these facilities are employed for a more extensive search of the many targets available using robotic observations to record eclipses at multiple epochs.


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Item Type: Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours)
Item Status: Live Archive
Additional Information: Honours thesis.
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Biological and Physical Sciences (Up to 30 Jun 2013)
Supervisors: Dearnaley, John
Date Deposited: 28 Mar 2013 02:05
Last Modified: 25 Sep 2019 05:00
Uncontrolled Keywords: Mt Kent Observatory; Moore Observatory; exoplanets; eclipsing binary stars
Fields of Research (2008): 02 Physical Sciences > 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences > 020110 Stellar Astronomy and Planetary Systems
Fields of Research (2020): 51 PHYSICAL SCIENCES > 5101 Astronomical sciences > 510109 Stellar astronomy and planetary systems
URI: https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/23220

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