Differential Photometry Image Processing with the NKU 14-inch Telescope

Abstract

NKU’s Schneider Observatory, located on campus atop Founder’s Hall, features a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope mounted on a German equatorial mount with computer control capabilities. This telescope was brought online over the summer of 2019. The larger size of this telescope coupled with a SBIG STT-3200ME CCD and Johnson filter set, allows us to do precision differential photometry of variable objects. As part of testing the system’s differential photometry capabilities, we took data on several targets, including variable stars and transiting exoplanets.