EXoPLanet Orbit REsearch (EXPLORE) 2000
Updated 2026 March 11
1.0) Introduction
EXoPLanet Orbit REsearch, EXPLORE 2000, is a collaborative project between the American Association of Variable Star Observers Exoplanet Section and the British Astronomical Association’s Asteroid and Remote Planets Section’s Exoplanet Division.
This project is still in its development stage and yet to be formally announced. All information, target lists, tutorials, etc will appear on, or be linked to, from this page.
The project is being formulated by a team consisting of Rodney Buckland, Dennis Conti, Roger Dymock, Siegfried Vanaverbeke, Trifon Trifonov and Pieter Vulysteke
2.0) EXPLORE 2000
EXPLORE 2000
***ALERT*** Possible exoplanet discovery – see TIC 229452949 for full details
3.0) Guides. tutorials
A Guide to TTV Target Observing by Dennis Conti
A Practical Guide to Exoplanet Observing by Dennis Conti
Observing an exoplanet transit
Transit Finder guide by Dennis Conti
Transits and Radical Velocity – the basics
Workflow based Guide to using AstroImageJ for Exoplanet Transit Photometry by Richard Lee
4.0) Software
Exoplanetpie – available from Pieter Vuylsteke at pieter.vuylsteke@gmail.com>
LcTools – https://sites.google.com/a/lctools.net/lctools/home?authuser=0
Nauyaca – https://github.com/EliabCanul/nauyaca
Exostriker – https://exostriker-manual.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
HOPS – Used by the ExoClock project – https://www.exoworldsspies.com/en/software/
AstroimageJ – https://www.astro.louisville.edu/software/astroimagej/
5.0) Papers
A homogeneous transit-timing-variation investigation of all TESS systems with a
confirmed single-transiting planet
Around which stars can TESS detect Earth-like planets? The Revised TESS Habitable Zone Catalog
A list of targets can be found here
A third star in the HAT-P-7 system, and a new dynamical pathway to misaligned hot Jupiters
Mercury-T: A new code to study tidally evolving multi-planet systems. Applications tp Kepler-62
Observations and Studies on the Transiting Systems HAT-P-36, XO-2 and WASP-76
Post-main-sequence planetary system evolution
6.0) Presentations
AAVSO Exoplanet Section meeting 2025 June 23 – Dennis Conti
The morning and afternoon sessions were so because of time differences around the world but are identical apart from any comments made during the presentations
EXPLORE meeting held on 2025 November 8
TFOP Working Group Steering Commiuttee meeting held 2026 March 9 – Presentation on EXPLORE project by Siegfried Vanaverbeke
7.0) EXPLORE 2000 Team
Rodney Buckland
Roger Dymock
Pieter Vuylsteke
8.0) Links
9.0) Newsletters
To keep participants up to date with progress a regular newsletter is being considered
10.0) Meetings
TFOP WG Steering Committee on-line meeting. 2026 March 9, 20:00 UT
EXPLORE mtg 2026 March 23, 16:00 UT
(15 min) Committee Meeting
(15 min) (e.g., TIC 228452049)
– Observations from ExoClock
(15 min) – Overview of ExoFOP
– The Exoplanet Confirmation Process
(15 min) estimate mass
- Pieter Vuylsteke: Identifying TTV candidates via ExoplanetPie (15 min)
– Paul Dooley: PlanSim (15 min)
Multiple Planet Systems Conference. Sofia, Bulgaria, 31 Aug – 4 Sep 2026.
The conference aims to bring together experts and their students with an interest in the dynamics of multiple-planet systems and planetary systems in binary star systems.
The discussions will focus on both theoretical and observational aspects of these complex architectures.
Roger Dymock
BAA ARPS Exoplanet Division
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