For several years I have been observing exoplanet transits and sending the data to the ETD (Czech Astronomical Society), which collects works from an important group of observers.
Then I upload the photometry to AAVSO if there are comparison stars in VSX, and if there are none, I ask Sebastian Otero and Tim Crawford for help, always willing to collaborate.
But my observations are the only ones in AAVSO, as examples, the recent Qatar 3, 4 and 5 I sent. I would like to see more observations, so I want to encourage the observers of variables to spend part of their time in the stars that contain exoplanets. It is a very interesting observation, it gives immediate results and is an important scientific work.
AAVSO has an observation manual and free software, although you can continue using the usual. I use Fotodif, an excellent program developed in Spain.
Yesterday NASA launched a fun website about exoplanets, which can be visited here: http://exoplanets.nasa.gov
Best regards.
Mario Morales Aimar (MMAO)
I also upload to the Czech base. But why do you need to look for comparison stars to Sebastian? Here you can get data for observations https://astro.swarthmore.edu/transits/. Also in AAVSO, the opportunity to separately download the results (see attached screen)?
Yes, transit observers unfortunately are few. Probably hard for many to start, because these observations and processing are more complicated. Denis Conti wrote that AAVSO and NASA are now developing an interaction technique for observing exoplanet etransites. Socoro will be announced on the results.
Mr. Mishnik, I asked for comparison stars to those responsible for VSX, but no data on transits.
I like to send observations with the standardized AAVSO calibration system, a comparison star and a control star. Other people may not like the system, but it is the one I prefer and I am very grateful to the friends of VSX for their kind collaboration.
I am glad that AAVSO and NASA are preparing new transit observation techniques, I will be waiting for these good news.
While I posted this in the Exoplanet forum, this discussion seems like a good place to post it too.
Starting next Monday (11/4) there's another CHOICE course on Exoplanet Observing!
November 4 - December 6
Exoplanet Observing
Instructor: Dr. Brian Hill
The fee for AAVSO members is $35.00 click here. Non-members pay $60.00 click here. Registrations are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Exoplanet Observing
This course is designed to provide participants with the basics of how to conduct their own exoplanet observations. With the flood of targets coming in from the currently running TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) mission, this course offering is especially timely.
The first half of the course will cover the fundamentals of high precision photometry, as well as the various phases of an exoplanet observation. The second half will review the use of AstroImageJ (AIJ) for image reduction and exoplanet transit modeling. In addition, the future of exoplanet observing using small telescopes will be discussed, as well as ways in which amateur astronomers can contribute to exoplanet research, including contributions to the TESS mission.
The course will use “A Practical Guide to Exoplanet Observing” as its primary text, as well as a set of sample exoplanet observations, both of which can be found at http://astrodennis.com. Videos created by Dennis Conti are associated with each week's module. Participants will take a quiz after each module that assesses your understanding of that week's videos and written materials, and your practice with the transit-fitting software (AIJ). Participants must successfully pass each quiz to successfully pass the course. A private forum will be available to participants in order to communicate with each other, as well as the instructor.