Citizen science collaboration provides precise data on exoplanet WASP-77 A b
Artist’s concept view of the WASP-77 A b system. Credit: NASA Exoplanet Catalog
When a planet sways in front of its star, dimming the starlight we see, these events, called transits, provide a wealth of information about exoplanets orbiting stars other than the Sun. But without volunteers’ help, it’s hard to predict when these special events will occur.
Fortunately, the challenge was taken on by a collaboration between several teams of amateur planet trackers, led by researcher Federico R. Noguerre of Arizona State University and researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). This collaboration has resulted in the release of the most precise physical and orbital parameters to date for an important exoplanet called WASP-77 A b. These precise parameters help predict future transit events and are essential for planning spacecraft observations and precise atmospheric modeling.
The research was published in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
“For me, a former dentist and now Exoplanet Watch citizen scientist, research opportunities like this give me a way to learn about and contribute to the incredibly exciting field of astrophysics,” said Anthony Norris, a citizen scientist working with the Exoplanet Watch project.
The study integrates amateur astronomy/citizen science data from the Exoplanet Watch and ExoClock projects and the Exoplanet Transit Database, as well as data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, Hubble Space Telescope (HST), James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and La Silla Observatory.
Exoplanet Watch invites volunteers to join in exoplanet research, either by observing exoplanets using their own telescopes or by analyzing data collected by others. Another recent post details how the Exoplanet Watch team has helped validate new exoplanet candidates.
WASP-77 A b is a gas giant planet orbiting a Sun-like star. It’s only about 20% larger than Jupiter, but that’s where the similarities with our solar system end: this fiery ball of gas orbits its star right next to it, more than 200 times closer than Jupiter.
Further information: Federico R. Noguer et al., “Enhancing exoplanet ephemeris with expert and citizen science data: a test case with WASP-77 A b.” Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (2024). DOI: 10.1088/1538-3873/ad57f5
Want to get involved? Join the Exoplanet Watch project and contribute to the cutting edge of exoplanet science. Anyone can join. You do not need to be a citizen of any particular country to participate.
Source: Citizen science collaboration yields precise data on exoplanet WASP-77 A b (September 20, 2024) Retrieved September 20, 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2024-09-citizen-science-collaboration-yields-precise.html
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