Eclipsing binary or two transiting planets?

• by Bwordsworth

  I haven't seen an eclipsing binary with two distinct different sized drops in luminosity like this before so to me it looks more like two transiting planets.
  If that were the case the larger planet would have an orbital period of 17 days and the smaller one a period of 18 days, which certainly seems to close.
  But then what would cause the difference in luminosity drops if it were to be an eclipsing binary?

  Posted March 28, 2017 6:50 PM

• by ajamyajax

  The stars in this system are probably different types, brightness, and sizes which often explains the alternating transit depths you see. This was on the KOI list in the past for some reason however (which is used for planet candidates), so maybe something else was at least a possibility.

  (Kepler data for RA/Dec 294.2791,41.4369)

  Kepler KIC# [Angular Separation] Kep Mag/ Teff /Stellar Radius / MAST link*

  KIC 6131659 [0'] 12.534/4870/0.855* http://archive.stsci.edu/kepler/data_search/search.php?action=Search&ktc_kepler_id=6131659
  
  | KIC 6131659 flagged as Eclipsing_binary; False_Positive; KOI 6667.01 (FP) P/E=17.52782661/144.5700707; TCE list P/E=17.5278/135.807; TCE list P/E=4.38221/134.965; TCE list P/E=298.383/317.826;
  
  False Positive Reason(s):Significant Secondary;
  

  p.s.

  There is a nice, short video of that here and other neat stuff:

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_star#Eclipsing_binaries

  Posted March 28, 2017 7:01 PM

• by Bwordsworth

  Thank you very much for the quick and concise answer, that video perfectly explains it and it all seems very obvious to me now, thanks again.

  Posted March 29, 2017 9:43 AM