Observation and Analysis of Qatar-1b Transit Timing Variations: No Evidence for Additional Bodies in Qatar-1

Volume 50 number 1 (2022)

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Paloma Lenz

Exoplanet Research Workshop; palomaisabellenz@gmail.com

Lindsay Koo

Exoplanet Research Workshop; lindsay.koo21@gmail.com

Vincent Tran

Exoplanet Research Workshop; tran_vincent@protonmail.ch

Iván Álvarez

Exoplanet Research Workshop; ivan.alvsancho@gmail.com

Abstract

Existing literature confirms that the Qatar-1 stellar system has a transiting exoplanet, Qatar-1b, which past research suggests is the sole planetary member of this system. Using archival images from the Harvard-Smithsonian MicroObservatory and NASA’s EXOplanet Transit Interpretation Code (EXOTIC), 28 transits of Qatar-1b were reduced to further analyze the nature of the Qatar-1 system. Corrupted image series were edited to ensure the reliability of the light curves outputted by EXOTIC; the resulting Observed – Calculated plot, which was produced after these reduced transits were compiled, indicates that no transit timing variations were found for Qatar-1b, meaning that there are likely no other proximal bodies impacting the exoplanet’s orbit. χ2 and Lomb-Scargle analysis were also conducted, revealing no significant periodicity in Qatar-1b’s orbit and further confirming the absence of additional bodies impacting the exoplanet’s orbit.