Exoplanet Detection and Characterization Using NASA Kepler Data

Abstract

This research presents the detection and analysis of the exoplanet Kepler-10b using publicly available NASA Kepler data. In this research multiple parameter were used for identification and characterization such as the Box Least Squares (BLS) method was used for identification of the periodic dips in the host star’s brightness, consistent with transiting behaviour. The folded light curve revealed the transits, from which the depth and duration were used to estimate the planetary radius (~6.85 Earth radii) and orbital period (~0.33 days). Orbital mechanics and radiative balance principles were used to calculate the semi-major axis (~0.0091 AU) and equilibrium temperature (~2676 K), which suggests it to be a hot Neptune-like exoplanet in close orbit. This study demonstrates how open-source datasets and Python based tools can enable a meaningful and scientific investigation by an independent student researcher.