Related papers: Comparing Results from Two Uniform Phase Curve Sur…
We develop a general method to fit the planetary distribution function (PLDF) to exoplanet survey data. This maximum likelihood method accommodates more than one planet per star and any number of planet or target star properties.…
The orbital motion of a binary system is characterized by various characteristic temporal intervals which, by definition, are different from each other: the draconitic, anomalistic and sidereal periods. They all coincide in the Keplerian…
Recent studies claimed that planets around the same star have similar sizes and masses and regular spacings, and that planet pairs usually show ordered sizes such that the outer planet is usually the larger one. Here I show that these…
Previous timing data for PSR~B1620$-$26 were consistent with a second companion mass $m_2$ anywhere in the range $\sim10^{-3}-1\,M_\odot$, i.e., from a Jupiter-type planet to a star. We present the latest timing parameters for the system,…
The purpose of this work is to extend a sample of accurately modeled, benchmark-grade eclipsing binaries with accurately determined masses and radii. We select four "well-behaved" Kepler binaries, KIC2306740, KIC4076952, KIC5193386 and…
We present a test for spin-orbit alignment for the host stars of 25 candidate planetary systems detected by the {\it Kepler} spacecraft. The inclination angle of each star's rotation axis was estimated from its rotation period, rotational…
The {\it Kepler} mission revealed a population of compact multiple-planet systems with orbital periods shorter than a year, and occasionally even shorter than a day. By analyzing a sample of 102 {\it Kepler} and {\it K2} multi-planet…
Aims. We analyse unpublished Spitzer observations of the thermal phase-curve of WASP-121 b, a benchmark ultra-hot Jupiter. Methods. We adopted the wavelet pixel-independent component analysis technique to remove challenging instrumental…
The gravitational strong equivalence principle (SEP) is a cornerstone of the general theory of relativity (GR). The extreme difference in binding energy between neutron stars and white dwarfs allows for precision tests of the SEP via the…
In this work, we investigated the presence of strictly periodic, as well as quasi-periodic signals, in the timing of the 25 millisecond pulsars from the EPTA DR2 dataset. This is especially interesting in the context of the recent hints of…
The Kepler mission has allowed the detection of numerous multi-planet exosystems where the planetary orbits are relatively compact. The first such system detected was Kepler-11 which has six known planets at the present time. These kinds of…
Spectroscopic Eclipsing Binaries (SEBs) are fundamental benchmarks in stellar astrophysics and today are observed in breathtaking detail by missions like TESS, Kepler, and APOGEE. We develop a methodology for simultaneous analysis of high…
With over 30 phase curves observed during the warm Spitzer mission, the complete data set provides a wealth of information relating to trends and three-dimensional properties of hot Jupiter atmospheres. In this work we present a comparative…
Exoplanet systems are thought to evolve on secular timescales over billions of years. This evolution is impossible to directly observe on human timescales in most individual systems. While the availability of accurate and precise age…
Recently acquired Hubble and Spitzer phase curves of the short-period hot Jupiter WASP-43b make it an ideal target for confronting theory with data. On the observational front, we re-analyze the 3.6 and 4.5 $\mu$m Spitzer phase curves and…
A sample of spectroscopic binaries and a sample of single planetary systems, both having main-sequence solar-type primary components, are selected in order to compare their eccentricities. The positions of the objects in the…
We predict how a remote observer would see the brightness variations of giant planets similar to Jupiter and Saturn as they orbit their central stars. We model the geometry of Jupiter, Saturn and Saturn's rings for varying orbital and…
Planets and satellites orbiting a binary system exist in the solar system and extrasolar planetary systems. Their orbits can be significantly different from Keplerian orbits, if they are close to the binary and the secondary-to-primary mass…
We reconsider calibration of statistical distance scales for planetary nebulae, examining precision and systematic error for various distance methods used as well as the scales themselves. A different calibration strategy, one based on…
We analyze 8 years of precise radial velocity measurements from the Keck Planet Search, characterizing the detection threshold, selection effects, and completeness of the survey. We carry out a systematic search for planets by assessing the…