The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is designed to search for planets orbiting other stars by monitoring changes in brightness. If you’ve identified a potential candidate star that appears interesting, it could be due to various phenomena, such as exoplanet transits, stellar variability, or even instrumental artifacts. To advance the analysis, follow these steps:
Verify the Data: Ensure that the region of interest in the TESS data has been correctly identified. Cross-check with available catalogs, such as the TESS Input Catalog (TIC).
Analyze Light Curves: Retrieve the light curve data for the star in question. Look for periodic dips in brightness, which could indicate potential exoplanet transits or consistent variability.
Utilize Software Tools: Software like eleanor, Lightkurve, or AstroImageJ can help in more detailed analysis of TESS data. These tools provide functions for examining light curves, detrending data, and identifying transits.
Community Engagement: Share the details via platforms such as the Exoplanet Explorers community or Slack channels focused on TESS data analysis. Collaborating with experienced astronomers or citizen scientists can yield new insights.
Consider Follow-up Observations: If the feature seems promising, suggest follow-up observations with ground-based telescopes or through established programs dedicated to TESS data follow-up.
By following these steps, a qualified observer can provide a more thorough examination of the star and help determine the nature of the observed phenomena.