Project:	Searching for the Nearest Transiting Earth-like Expolanets
Disciplines:	Astronomy, Physics, Computer Science, Applied Math
Mentor:	Stanimir Metchev, Professor, (PMA), smetchev@uwo.ca, Phone: +1-519-661-2111, ext. 88438
Mentor URL:	https://physics.uwo.ca/people/faculty_web_pages/metchev.html  (opens in new window)
Background:	NOTE 1: This project is being offered by a Caltech alum and is open only to Caltech students. The project will be conducted at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. NOTE 2: Western University hosts one of the largest astronomy research groups in Canada, with expertise from atmospheric meteors to exoplanets to active galactic nuclei. London, Ontario is within a 2-hour drive of Toronto, Detroit, or Niagara Falls, and within an hour drive to the beaches of Lake Huron or Lake Erie. Most of the 5000+ known extrasolar planets have been discovered with the "transit" technique: the observer is in a lucky position to detect the small dimming of the host star when an orbiting planet periodically passes in front. NASA's Kepler spacecraft discovered most of these. However, Kepler observed a small portion of the sky, so most known exoplanets reside around distant and dim stars. These present a challenge for characterization, even with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Dr. Metchev's team seeks a student to participate in a new approach to discover and characterize the nearest Earth-like exoplanets.
Description:	Prof. Metchev's team at Western University is involved in the planning for a space telescope mission, POET, that will be in part dedicated to discovering rocky planets around M-type or cooler dwarf stars. In preparation for POET, Prof. Metchev's team is assembling a catalogue of the nearest M-type or cooler (L or T types) stars, analyzing their properties from TESS observations or with ground-based telescopes. Potential follow-up observations are also possible with an array of three 50 cm robotic telescopes. The student will use publicly available (AstroImageJ software or astropy library) or custom-developed software to analyze astronomical imaging or time series data, whether from TESS or from the three 50 cm telescopes. The student may also design and obtain ground-based observations using the Maxim DL and ACP astronomy imaging and control software.
References:	https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022SPIE12180E..0AR/abstract
Student Requirements:	The successful applicant will have strong computing skills, including knowledge of the Linux operating system and of a scripting/programming language (python, C). Basic astronomy knowledge, familiarity with astronomical images, telescope use, or knowledge of parallel computing or machine learning are all preferred, but not required.
Programs:	This AO can be done under the following programs:   Program    Available To        SURF    Caltech students only  Click on a program name for program info and application requirements.