A Photometric Transit Search for Planets around Cool Stars from the Italian Alps: Results from a Feasibility Study

TL;DR

This feasibility study demonstrates that the Italian Alps site is suitable for detecting small transiting planets around nearby cool M dwarf stars, achieving high-precision photometry with a small telescope.

Contribution

The study shows that a small telescope at the Italian Alps can effectively monitor M dwarf stars for transiting planets, validating site suitability for future surveys.

Findings

Achieved photometric RMS < 0.003 mag for V<13 stars.

Monitored three known transiting systems successfully.

Median RMS of 0.006 mag over the observing period.

Abstract

A feasibility study was carried out at the Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley demonstrating that it is a well-poised site to conduct an upcoming observing campaign aimed at detecting small-size (R<R_Neptune) transiting planets around nearby cool M dwarf stars. Three known transiting planet systems were monitored from May to August 2009 with a 25 cm f/3.8 Maksutov telescope. We reached seeing-independent, best-case photometric RMS less than 0.003 mag for stars with V<13, with a median RMS of 0.006 mag for the whole observing period.