The KELT Survey for Transiting Planets
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2014
Abstract
KELT (the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope) is a transit survey for new exoplanets orbiting bright (8 〈 V 〈 10) stars. Such systems are ideally suited for high signal-to-noise follow-up studies of planetary atmospheres and compositions by current ground- and spaced-based observatories. KELT consists of two small-aperture, wide-field, robotic telescopes which have been monitoring ~ 50 % of the northern and southern skies for 6 and 3.5 years, respectively. Identification and vetting of candidates is ongoing. The survey has thus far discovered and confirmed three transiting planets - hot Jupiters KELT-2Ab and KELT-3b, and hot Saturn KELT- 6b - as well as the 27 MJ brown dwarf KELT-1b. The KELT Follow-up Network, a collaboration of over 20 amateur and professional astronomers and institutions, is actively confirming additional KELT discoveries. The Network has also started observing other interesting targets. While KELT is optimized for detecting gas giant companions of FGK stars, the Network is helping to observe Kepler-discovered eclipsing binaries and circumbinary planetary systems, potential super-Earths orbiting M dwarfs, and other variable stars and eclipsing binaries.
Recommended Citation
Oberst, T. E., Beatty, T. G., Bieryla, A., Bozza, V., Collins, K., D'Ago, G., Eastman, J. D., Gaudi, B. S., Jang-Condell, H., Jensen, E. L., Kielkopf, J., Lund, M. B., Manner, M., McLeod, K. K., Novati, S. C., Penny, M. T., Pepper, J., Reed, P. A., Rodriguez, J. E., Scarpetta, G., Siverd, R. J., Stassun, K. G., & Street, R. A. (2014). The KELT Survey for Transiting Planets. Retrieved from https://repository.lsu.edu/physics_astronomy_pubs/6386