EXOPLANET DETECTION

The transit of an exoplanet occurs when it passes in front of its star from our perspective, causing a slight decrease in stellar brightness.This phenomenon is one of the most effective techniques for detecting planets outside the Solar System and has led to the discovery of thousands of exoplanets in recent decades. By analysing the light curve of the star, it is possible to determine characteristics of the planet, such as its size, its orbital period, and even the composition of its atmosphere if the light filtered through it is studied.
To record these events, telescopes with high-precision cameras are used to capture the variation in stellar brightness during the transit. From these observations, light curves are generated and analysed to confirm and characterise exoplanets. We actively participate in the ExoClock project, an international initiative to improve the accuracy of the transit times of known exoplanets. Our work consists of monitoring these events and providing updated data to the scientific community, thus contributing to the planning of future space missions that will study these worlds in greater detail.