What Hides within the Photograph: the Analysis of a Light Curve in the Classroom

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how secondary school students can analyze Kepler satellite data to determine exoplanet parameters using accessible methods, fostering educational engagement with astrophysics.

Contribution

It introduces an educational approach for light curve analysis suitable for secondary school students, involving real data and simple methods.

Findings

Students successfully determined exoplanet parameters.

The approach is accessible and educational for secondary education.

Engagement enhances understanding of astrophysical data analysis.

Abstract

Data from the Kepler satellite were analysed using the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST) database. With the participation of 53 students, we determined the parameters of the HAT-P-7b (Kepler-2) exoplanet system (transit duration, planet-to-star radius ratio, orbital period, semi-major axis, and star mass). To achieve the result, we used approaches that are easy to understand and apply to secondary school students as well. In this way, they were able to gain insight into the essential process of light curve analysis.