Astronomical pictures from a backyard observatory
CCD
Image Index.
Cookbook 245, permanently mounted 8" f/8 newtonian telescope;
TRANSITING
EXTRA-SOLAR PLANETS
These planets are unique because their obits are inclined to the line of sight to the earth,such that the planets pass in front of their stars. Thus they are "seen" to transit the parent stars causing a significant drop in brightness of the stars.
This is the last half of TrES1-b transit on July 26, 2005. The transiting planet shows a possible
anomoly at the beginning and end of the transit, a brightening just before and just after transit.
This is being investigated by the professional astronomers, but was first called to attention by amateurs.
In the end it may come to nothing but is worth investigating.
TRES-1 "b" is the first transiting Exo (extra-solar system) planet to be detected.
Orbital Data TrES-1_ b (taken from Alonso et al 2004)
Period: 3.030065+/- 0.00001 days
Minimum Planet Mass: 0.754Mjup
Predicted Planet Radius (with core): 1.02Rjup
Predicted Planet Radius (without core): 1.10Rjup
Planet radii from theoretical models of:
Bodenheimer, Laughlin, and Lin 2003,
Astrophysical Journal, v. 592, 555-563
.
Possible detection of XO-1_b. The data are not very "clean" and only a small portion of the transit is recorded.
Certain detection of XO-1_b this time.
