Searching for Exoplanets in Various Star Systems

Our project's big picture is identifying and analyzing possible circumbinary exoplanets from the TESS and Kepler missions. The research focuses on the stars TIC 441732151, TIC 325564366, TIC 1220444, TIC 278822321, and KIC 10020423 due to their stability and potential to host planets in the habitable zone. We gather raw data from the TESS and Kepler databases, selecting the most recent data for targeted star systems. The lightcurve data is then processed with Peranso software for period analysis, generating periodograms that identify dominant frequencies. We create a phase light curve from these periodograms to visualize repeating signals and analyze minima in flux over time, which may indicate a potential exoplanet transit. Pre-whitening is applied to remove stronger signals and reveal weaker ones that could also represent exoplanet transits. We also use LightKurve to identify the pixels used in the images to generate the lightcurves and Triceratops to model phased lightcurves and detect false positives utilizing a Bayesian framework to determine whether the signal originates from a planetary source or another astronomical event. The O-C (Observed Minus Calculated) plots are also used to analyze the timing of these periodic events, indicating regularity, period changes, or deviations from predictions. Our comprehensive approach from data collection to in-depth analysis aims to refine our understanding of exoplanets and contribute to future discoveries in astrophysics.