XO Project

The XO Project is an international team of amateur and professional astronomers tasked with identifying extrasolar planets. They are led by Peter McCullough of the Space Telescope Science Institute. [http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Astronomers_Catch_Planet_By_Unusual_Means.html Astronomers Catch Planet By Unusual Means, "Space Daily"] ] It is primarily funded by NASA's Origins Program and the Director's Discretionary Fund of the Space Telescope Science Institute. [http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-05/ru-xsp052507.php XO-3b: Supersized planet or oasis in the 'brown dwarf desert'?, "EurekAlert!"] ] [http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2006/22/full/ Astronomers Use Innovative Technique to Find Extrasolar Planet, "HubbleSite"] ]

Duties

Preliminary identification of possible star candidates starts at the Haleakala telescope in Hawaii by a team of professional astronomers. Once they identify a star that dims slightly from time to time, the information is forwarded to a team of amateur astronomers who then investigate for additional evidence suggesting this dimming is caused by a transiting planet. Once enough data is collected, it is forwarded to the University of Texas McDonald Observatory to confirm the presence of a transiting planet by a second team of professional astronomers.

Equipment

McCullough and his team employed a relatively inexpensive telescope called an XO Telescope, made from commercial equipment, to search for extrasolar planets. This telescope consists of two 200-millimeter telephoto camera lenses, and resembles binoculars in shape. It stands on the summit of the Haleakalā volcano in Hawaii. Their first discovery of a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a Sun-like star 600 light-years from Earth in the constellation Corona Borealis -- XO-1b -- was reported May 16, 2006 [http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/520570/ on Newswise] .

Discoveries

*XO-1b
*XO-2b
*XO-3b

References