Home > ExoClock

ExoClock

The ExoClock Project

A project to monitor the ephemerides of transiting exoplanets by the ARIEL Ephemerides Working Group.

CMHASD Coordinators: Martin Crow, Simon Dawes and Keith Rickard.

Due to chance alignments it is possible that planets orbiting other stars will move in front of their star with respect to our point of view, this is called an exo-planet transit, and if you know when to look these can be observed using amateur equipment by measuring the change in brightness of the star. These observations are scientifically important and members of the society collaborate with exoclock to produce improved timings of these events.

Members of the Society observe exo-planet transits either with their own equipment or with the Peter Hindle Telescope (16″ LX200) in the Dick Chambers Observatory.

 

Training Material

Part 1: Selecting an object

In this video we explore exoclock.space and how we can use it to select the most appropriate object to observe.

Part 2: Introduction to NINA

In this video we introduce NINA the software we will use to set-up our observation.

Part 3: Using NINA & AIJ

In this video you will see how we use NINA to observe exo-planet transits and how we use Astro Image J to check we have the right exposure.

 

Useful Links

BAA Exo-Planet Section 

Exo-Clock 

 

Results

Below are the latest results from our members.

Scientific Papers Members have contributed to….

ExoClock project: an open platform for monitoring the ephemerides of Ariel targets with contributions from the public
ExoClock Project. II. A Large-scale Integrated Study with 180 Updated Exoplanet Ephemerides
ExoClock Project III: 450 new exoplanet ephemerides from ground and space observations.  

Exoplanet transit of Qatar-9b

by | Mar 28, 2024 | ,

One more for the Exoclock project. This time the transit of exoplanet Qatar-9b measured by Simon Dawes and Martin Crow on the same night.  Qatar-9 b is a hot Jupiter exoplanet in Ursa Major that orbits a K-type star. Its mass is 1.19 Jupiters, it takes 1.5 days to complete one orbit of its star and is 0.0234 AU from its star. Its discovery was announced in...

More ExoPlanet transits for the ExoClock Project – Nov 2023

by | Dec 15, 2023 | ,

Five more transits done! TOI-3688 A b is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a G-type star. Its mass is 0.98 Jupiters, it takes 3.2 days to complete one orbit of its star and is 0.0456 AU from its star. Its discovery was announced in 2023. https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exoplanet-catalog/8781/toi-3688-a-b/ Exoplanet GPX-1 b is in the constellation of Perseus. GPX-1 b is a gas giant exoplanet...

ExoClock Conference, Thessaloniki, Greece 2023

by | Oct 27, 2023 | , ,

2023 October 21/22 Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece  3rd ExoClock Annual Meeting  CMHASD trustees Martin Crow, Simon Dawes and Dr Mike Rushton attended the 3rd Annual Conference of ExoClock in Greece, a project to improve the ephemeris of exo-planet transits for the European Space Agencies, Aerial Mission, due to launch in 2029. During the conference Martin and Simon were...

ExoPlanet transit of HAT-P-23b by Keith Rickard

by | Oct 27, 2023 | ,

One more for the ExoClock project – this one being the first for CMHASD trustee and treasurer Keith Rickard.  It is of Exoplanet HAT-P-23b in the constellation Delphinus. ”HAT-P-23 b is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a G-type star. Its mass is 2.09 Jupiters, it takes 1.2 days to complete one orbit of its star, and is 0.0232 AU from its star. Its discovery was announced in...

ExoPlanet TrES-3b transit – observed by Simon Dawes

by | Oct 22, 2023 | ,

Another for the ExoClock project by Simon Dawes of the transit of exoplanet TrES-3b. TrES-3b is in a very tight orbit around its host star, TrES-3, transiting the stellar disk once per 31 hours. For comparison, Mercury orbits the sun once every 88 days. TrES-3b is just a little larger than Jupiter, yet orbits around its parent star much closer than Mercury does, making it a “hot...

ExoPlanet transit of TrES-3b by Dr Mike Rushton

by | Oct 15, 2023 | ,

The transit of Exoplanet TrES-3b by CMHASD member & trustee Dr. Mike Rushton using an eVscope for the ExoClock project. TrES-3b is a gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star GSC 03089-00929 a G-type star and is 0.02282 AU from its star. It has an orbital period of just 31 hours and nearly twice the mass of Jupiter.  It was found by the Trans-Atlantic Exoplanet Survey in 2007. It was...

Transit of ExoPlanet HD189733b by Simon Dawes

by | Jul 8, 2023 | ,

Another set of observations for the ExoClock project by member Simon Dawes 🙂 Simon wrote ”This was a tricky observation, a bright star with faint comparisons, on the night of the summer solstice – the worst night of the year for astronomy, due to the lack of real night – there were 627 15s exposures which, when processed, works out at about 60Gb of disk space – for a...

Exoplanet HAT-P-12b

by | May 21, 2023 | ,

Another set of transit observations for the ExoClock project by Simon Dawes of Exoplanet HAT-P-12b. HAT-P-12b is 468 light years away from Earth, orbiting a 13th magnitude K-type star in the constellation Canes Venatici.  It is was discovered by the HATNet Project on April 29,...

Exoplanet transit of EPIC 246851721b by Martin Crow

by | Feb 11, 2023 | ,

The transit of EPIC 246851721b measured by CMHASD member and trustee Martin Crow for the ExoClock project on the 21st January 2023. The transit depth is a mere 5 thousandths of a magnitude. EPIC 246851721b is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits an F-type star in the constellation Taurus. Its mass is 3 Jupiters, it takes 6.2 days to complete one orbit of its star and is 0.07229 AU from its star....

Congratulations to Martin Crow & Simon Dawes

by | Dec 13, 2022 | ,

A huge congratulations to CMHASD trustees Martin Crow and Simon Dawes for jointly winning the BAA Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Pro-Am work on Exoplanet observations with the ExoClock project along with a Mr Adrian Jones. Below is a photo of Martin and Simon being presented with their certificates by the President of the BAA David Arditti on Saturday 10th December 2022 at the BAA Christmas...

BAA ExoPlanet & ExoClock training videos of which 2 are by CMHASD members.

by | Nov 22, 2022 | , ,

The videos from the British Astronomical Association (BAA) Exoplanet Division Online Workshop held on Saturday 12th November are now available to watch on the BAA YouTube Channel. The below talk titles are links to watch the videos.  Two videos are by CMHASD members Rodney Buckland and Martin Crow. Introduction by Roger Dymock Exoplanet Division update EXPLORE introduction Ariel and...

Exoplanets WASP-114b and Qatar-5b observations by Simon Dawes

by | Oct 26, 2022 | ,

Two more sets of exoplanet observations for the ExoClock project by member Simon Dawes of WASP-114b and Qatar-5b.  These are the 56th and 57th set of observations Simon has completed for the project. WASP-114b is a Hot Jupiter in a 1.5-day orbit around a G0 star.   Qatar-5b is a Hot Jupiter orbiting the star Qatar-5 located in Andromeda constellation.  It orbits its star every...

The latest ExoClock observations by Simon Dawes

by | Oct 11, 2022 | ,

Three more sets of observations of exoplanet transits for the ExoClock project by Simon Dawes. WASP-52b, Qatar-1b and HAT-P-6b. WASP-52 b is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a K-type star. Its mass is 0.46 Jupiters. Exoplanet WASP-52b orbits at a distance of 4.07 million km from its host star WASP-52, taking 1.75 days to go round its orbit. Its discovery in the constellation Pegasus was...

Congratulations to members Martin Crow & Simon Dawes

by | Oct 4, 2022 | ,

On Friday 30th September 2022 at the ExoClock 2 day meeting held at University College London, CMHASD trustees Martin Crow & Simon Dawes were awarded certificates for their impressive contribution to the ExoClock Project.  ExoClock is a project to monitor the ephemerides of transiting exoplanets by the ARIEL Ephemerides Working Group.  ARIEL is a space telescope (Atmospheric...

Exoplanets TrES-3b & WASP-60b by Simon Dawes

by | Sep 7, 2022 | ,

Taken from a few days ago; this is member Simon Dawes 48th accepted transit for the ExoClock project of exoplanet TrES-3b.  TrES-3b is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a G-type star GSC 03089-00929. It has an orbital period of just 31 hours, is nearly twice the mass of Jupiter and is 0.02282 AU from its star. The planet TrES-3b is named Umbäässa. The name was selected in...

Exoplanets XO-1b and Qatar-10b

by | Jul 13, 2022 | ,

Two more sets of observations for the ExoClock project by Simon Dawes.  Exoplanets XO-1b & Qatar-10b. XO-1b is an exoplanet approximately 536 light-years away in the constellation of Corona Borealis. The planet was discovered orbiting the yellow dwarf star now designated XO-1 in 2006.  The planet XO-1b is named Negoiu. The name was selected in the NameExoWorlds campaign during the...

Martin Crow – Exo Planets WASP-58b, TOI-2076b & HAT-P-57b

by | May 31, 2022 | ,

The latest Exo planet observations by Martin Crow for the ExoClock project. TOI-2076 b is an extrasolar planet (exoplanet) that orbits a K-type star TOI -2076 in the constellation of Bootes. An exoplanet is a planet that orbits a star other than the Sun. The star is located 136.86 light years away from Earth. TOI-2076 b is a Neptune-like exoplanet, its mass is 6.89 Earths, it takes 10.4 days to...

Simon Dawes – Exo Planet TOI-1296b

by | May 30, 2022 | ,

One more for the ExoClock project by Simon Dawes. Exoplanet TOI-1296b. TOI-1296b was discovered in 2021 and observed with TESS and SOPHIE.  It is a hot Saturn-mass exoplanet with an orbital period of 3.944 days. Simon said ‘Got this Friday night; 7 milli mag dip on a mag 11.5 star – quite a noisy measurement due to twilight observation.’...

WASP-113b by Simon Dawes

by | Apr 17, 2022 | ,

The latest exoplanet transit from Simon Dawes for the ExoClock project.  WASP 113 is a 11.7 magnitude star and Exoplanet WASP- 113b orbits it every 4.5days with a drop of 10/1000ths of a magnitude.  WASP 113 is a G type star of 1.3 Solar Masses and the exoplanet WASP-113b is half the mass of Jupiter. Crayford members have now contributed 110 light curves....

Exoplanet KPS-1b observations by Simon Dawes

by | Mar 26, 2022 | ,

Another for the ExoClock project…… KPS-1b orbits a star similar to the Sun with a period of 40 hours. The mass and size of the exoplanet KPS-1b are close to the characteristics of Jupiter, but it is located very close to its parent star so the temperature of the atmosphere KPS-1b is much higher than that of Jupiter. The discovery was made by the prototype Kourovka Planet Search (KPS)...

Exoplanets WASP-148b & HAT-P-44b observations

by | Mar 26, 2022 | ,

Simon Dawes has been busy again with his exoplanet observations for the ExoClock project. Below are his observations. Exoplanet HAT-P-44b was discovered in 2013 by the HATNet transit survey. Its mass is 0.39 mass of Jupiter and has an orbital period of 4.3 days. Of Exoplanet WASP -148b Simon said ”This is a 11.8 magnitude star and the dip is 8 thousandths of a magnitude – I think it...

Exoplanet TOI-1298b observations by Martin Crow

by | Mar 11, 2022 | ,

These are the latest exoplanet observations by Martin Crow. TOI-1298 b is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a G-type star TOI -1298 in the constellation of Ursa Minor.  Its mass is 0.356 Jupiters.  It takes 4.5 days to complete one orbit of its star and is 0.059 AU from its star. TOI-1298 b was discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) observatory, in 2021-09....