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Ground-based photometry of space-based transit detections: photometric follow-up of the CoRoT  mission *

Ground-based photometry of space-based transit detections: photometric follow-up of the CoRoT  mission *

Authors :
Deeg, H. J.
Gillon, M.
Shporer, A.
Rouan, D.
Stecklum, B.
Aigrain, S.
Alapini, A.
Almenara, J. M.
Alonso, R.
Barbieri, M.
Bouchy, F.
Eislöffel, J.
Erikson, A.
Fridlund, M.
Eigmüller, P.
Handler, G.
Hatzes, A.
Kabath, P.
Lendl, M.
Mazeh, T.
Moutou, C.
Queloz, D.
Rauer, H.
Rabus, M.
Tingley, B.
Titz, R.
Deeg, H. J.
Gillon, M.
Shporer, A.
Rouan, D.
Stecklum, B.
Aigrain, S.
Alapini, A.
Almenara, J. M.
Alonso, R.
Barbieri, M.
Bouchy, F.
Eislöffel, J.
Erikson, A.
Fridlund, M.
Eigmüller, P.
Handler, G.
Hatzes, A.
Kabath, P.
Lendl, M.
Mazeh, T.
Moutou, C.
Queloz, D.
Rauer, H.
Rabus, M.
Tingley, B.
Titz, R.
Source :
Astronomy and Astrophysics; October 2009, Vol. 506 Issue: 1 p343-352, 10p
Publication Year :
2009

Abstract

The motivation, techniques and performance of the ground-based photometric follow-up of transit detections by the CoRoT space mission are presented. Its principal raison d'êtrearises from the much higher spatial resolution of common ground-based telescopes in comparison to CoRoT's cameras. This allows the identification of many transit candidates as arising from eclipsing binaries that are contaminating CoRoT's lightcurves, even in low-amplitude transit events that cannot be detected with ground-based obervations. For the ground observations, “on” – “off” photometry is now largely employed, in which only a short timeseries during a transit and a section outside a transit is observed and compared photometrically. CoRoTplanet candidates' transits are being observed by a dedicated team with access to telescopes with sizes ranging from 0.2 to 2 m. As an example, the process that led to the rejection of contaminating eclipsing binaries near the host star of the Super-Earth planet CoRoT-7b is shown. Experiences and techniques from this work may also be useful for other transit-detection experiments, when the discovery instrument obtains data with a relatively low angular resolution.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00046361 and 14320746
Volume :
506
Issue :
1
Database :
Supplemental Index
Journal :
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Publication Type :
Periodical
Accession number :
ejs53147274
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/200912011