5 replies to this topic

[Ugly_scope]

I recently read the article “telescopes for teachers” in the July 2025 issue of s&t.

The article is about an outreach program that distributed unistellar telescopes across the state of Idaho.

There were guidelines for teachers that wanted to participate and one was contribution to exoplanet science and a focus on “ultra hot jupiters” (Jupiter sized exoplanets that lie so close to their host star they can complete an orbit in 4 days). These exoplanets are within reach of ground telescopes.

I can’t afford a Unistellar telescope, but I do have an S30.. Can this little device capture an exoplanet?

If anyone has tried I’d like to hear more.

Cheers

[Jethro7]

I can’t afford a Unistellar telescope, but I do have an S30.. Can this little device capture an exoplanet?

If anyone has tried I’d like to hear more.

Cheers

Hello Ugly_Scope,

Here are some recent CN threads on the subject of "Observing Exoplanets with a Seestar" This will be difficult endevour with such a small apertured device.

 

Exoplanet observations with a smart telescope - Smart Telescopes - Cloudy Nights https://share.google/2MeAL0DyjhPAcOWe6

Minimum aperture for exoplanet transits - Scientific Amateur Astronomy - Cloudy Nights https://share.google/xhSBI2J2LnVumv9M2

 

Exoplanet observing newbie - Scientific Amateur Astronomy - Cloudy Nights https://share.google/UmC0yDFNwCtpnltgB

 

How to get into amateur research on exoplanets? - Scientific Amateur Astronomy - Cloudy Nights https://share.google/w9b4hfbX61rPJvStc

 

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

Edited by Jethro7, 24 June 2025 - 10:47 AM.

[Phil Perry]

Huge professional observatories have a hard enough time seeing exoplanets (and only a handful at that), so I rather doubt anything affordable by an individual or a school will actually be able to directly see such an object. Either the article was engaging in flights of fancy, or was miswritten or misread. Even measuring the dimming of a star's light by a transiting planet would be quite a challenge for a small instrument.

[auroraTDunn]

I know from personal experience that one can use a normal DSLR camera and a zoom lens but you really want to know what your doing and choose your target appropriately, But for the S30, not sure but it sure would be a fun thing to try! Just be warned that it may take some time to get the whole, long process, down. Yet if/when you succeed the thrill of success will last a life time!

[Astronotrip]

Absolutely no chance with any ''consumer'' scope 
Even the big observatories have a hard time finding them even though the technics are getting better and more diverse. 

The main method is transit where they detect a tiny dip in a star's brightness as the exoplanet passes in front of it. The amount of dimming indicates the planet's size relative to its star, and the duration of the dip reveals the planet's orbital period. 

[sevenofnine]

Just for reference, the JWST just found it's first exoplanet 

 

https://www.space.co...s-picture-image.