Detect exoplanets by yourself with the cheapest equipment

[caballerodiez]

Hi guys,

I detected my first exoplanet (hd 189733 b) and made a video about it showing step by step how I did it. I thought it could be useful for the people interested in the topic or already starting with transit photometry.

The star has an apparent magnitude of 7.7 and the exoplanet produces a drop of 2.8% during almost 2 hours.

I used a tele-photo lens (the Pentacon 135 mm f 2.8), a CMOS camera (ZWO ASI 120 MM) and an equatorial mount (Skywatcher EQ3-2)

I also have a dual-axis motor drive, but a simple one that only controls the right ascension would be enough.

I bought most of the items second-hand from Ebay and I spent around 300 euros.

To set up the tele-photo lens and the camera I have a couple of guide rings and in order to focus the tele-photo lens, I have to separate it 33 mm from the camera by using for example 2 M42 extension rings, one of them 28 mm long and the other one 5 mm.

Now, the steps to detect the exoplanet are the following:

1.  To find out when is the exoplanet going to transit the star with the Exoplanet Transit Database.
2.  With a program called SharpCap, take for example 5-second exposures with a gain of 1 for 3 hours.
3. Once the transit has finished, with a program called ‘AstroImageJ’ open all the images, select the target star and for example a couple of reference stars, and perform multi-aperture photometry to detect the light curve.

I think it is better explained with a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHCppdWYs6w&list=PL3RiFKfZj3pv1ZqpFxuZinoGtUGEOankw

[James Kerman]

Welcome to the forum @caballerodiez.

That seems like a great method to detect known exoplanets and kudos to you for assembling an excellent rig for 300eu.  Do you work in Astronomy?

[Green Baron]

Welcome :-)

Nice introducing post.

[caballerodiez]

On 10/13/2018 at 12:35 AM, James Kerman said:

Welcome to the forum @caballerodiez.

That seems like a great method to detect known exoplanets and kudos to you for assembling an excellent rig for 300eu.  Do you work in Astronomy?

Thanks a lot for your kind words! I really appreciate them

Nop, I don't work

[caballerodiez]

On 10/13/2018 at 1:07 AM, Green Baron said:

Welcome :-)

Nice introducing post.

Thank you !