FluxCT: A Web Tool for Identifying Contaminating Flux in Kepler and TESS Target Pixel Files

TL;DR

FluxCT is a user-friendly web tool that accurately identifies contaminating flux in Kepler and TESS data by considering pixel aperture shapes, improving upon simple Gaia radius searches.

Contribution

The paper introduces FluxCT, a novel web tool that enhances contaminating flux estimation by accounting for pixel aperture shapes, offering more precise results than traditional methods.

Findings

FluxCT provides more accurate contaminant flux estimates.

The tool is simple to use with only a KIC or TIC ID required.

FluxCT outperforms simple Gaia radius searches.

Abstract

We announce FluxCT, a web tool for identifying contaminating flux in Kepler and TESS target pixel files due to secondary visual sources. We demonstrate the usage of this tool and discuss the benefits of this tool over a simple Gaia radius search. FluxCT focuses on clarity and simplicity, where the only input needed from the user is a KIC or TIC ID. By more appropriately accounting for the actual shape of the photometric pixel apertures, FluxCT can produce much more accurate estimates of contaminating flux than simple radial cone searches.