1. Survey of Extra-solar Planets at the University of Pittsburgh
STEPUP
Survey of Extra-solar Planets at the University of Pittsburgh

2. Method What is a extra-solar planet?
Planet orbiting a star in another system in the Milky Way
How do we observe transiting planets?
By monitoring the change in light we observe from the host star
What type of planets do we see?
Currently we observe Hot Jupiters from the AO
Why?
Study foreign systems to infer information about our own solar system
Study planet formation
Search for habitable planets

3. Observing Keeler telescope Remote Observing Capabilities Observations
16” RCX Meade Telescope
Remote Observing Capabilities
Able to observe from Univ. Pittsburgh main campus
Observations
Observed 8 known planets
Observed 3 planetary candidates
TrEs-2

4. Renovations Keeler dome All Sky Camera and Cloud Sensor Thaw Telescope
Automated and repainted
All Sky Camera and Cloud Sensor
Installed to view conditions locally at AO for remote observing
Thaw Telescope
Rewired for mobility
Installed new software

5. Research and Future Plans
HD80606b
Participated in international collaboration to observe the star HD80606
Ground-based multisite observations of two transits of HD 80606b A. Shporer, Aug. 2010
Helped to confirm transit duration and timing
TTV and Asteroid Detection
Study possible Transit Timing Variations to learn specifics about extrasolar system
Detecting ‘invisible’ asteroids in our images to help synchronize data timing
Rocking the Casba!

6. Special Thanks Professor M. Wood-Vasey Melanie Good Louis Coban
Members of the STEPUP team:
Eric Roebuck, Gary Lander, Korena Costella, Chelsea Vincent, Nelson Hua, Maya Hunt and Gwen Weaver
University of Pittsburgh, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
Allegheny Observatory