Planet Hunters Talk

KID 11295772 Question

  • HatterJack by HatterJack

    When I came across this data, I was going to write this off as little more than an unremarkable variable, as the dataset I was shown was pretty straightforward. However, I saw a comment regarding a dip (one that I'm not convinced of even after analyzing that quarter, and decided to dig a bit (because, let's be honest, I'm bored at work with nothing else to do, and I'd rather be doing science than what I do at the moment, but I digress).

    What I've found in the curve is a little curious. I'm fairly sure that it's background noise, but I thought I mention some significant dips I've found, and an observation that has led me to believe that it's contamination from another source.

    Q2-2 @ Day 5.25 and again at Day 22.75
    Q2-3 @ Day 23 and again at Day 26.5 (I think this is a glitch, however)
    Q3-2 @ Day 1.75 and again at Day 22

    Nothing significant in Q3-3, but the entirety of Q4 looks contaminated (the entire curve is completely different, appearing to be pulsating, rather than it's standard variable wave, which it reverts to at Q5-1)

    Q5-3 @ Day 16
    Q8 the data appears contaminated again
    Q9-2 @ Day 20 (a tiny bit before, but right on the edge)
    Q10-1 @ Day 23
    Q10-3 @ Day 28
    Q11-1 @ Day 23
    Q11-2 through Q14-1 the data appears contaminated yet again
    Q14-2 @ Days 11.5 and 30.75
    Q14-3 @ Day 5.75

    I haven't sat down and crunched the numbers, but there doesn't appear to be any particular regular period for these significant dips so I'm not really convinced (I've been wrong before, but that's ok, gotta be wrong to learn anything, no?) that there's anything here beyond the natural fluctuation of light, although there are (as usual) hundreds of smaller fluctuations. That's not really my point, however.

    The thing that's got me curious is the source of contamination for this star's data. What's nearby that is causing these fluctuations between the normal light curve and the apparently contaminated data?

    Posted

  • ajamyajax by ajamyajax in response to HatterJack's comment.

    HJ, here's a way you can check for yourself. The NASA Exoplanet Archive has a fairly new Search feature (see link below). I tried KIC 11295772 and there was a different period/epoch system somewhat nearby to investigate. Your earlier KIC 8414216 shows more similar period and epoch listings with a wide enough arc-secs input. Hope this helps.

    http://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/index.html

    Posted