<p>Basically you need to have the following equipment list</p>
<p>1.- A mechanical system track objects: you can build with 3d printer like:<a href="https://www.hackster.io/news/3d-print-your-own-motorized-pan-and-tilt-mount-for-your-dslr-camera-dc557ed2c7ef" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this prototype</a> and/or python tracking <a href="https://github.com/SpongeYao/Farmbot_GeneralAP" rel="nofollow noreferrer">mechanical controller</a></p>
<p>2.- A cmos/ccd sensor camera with over exposed function and color filters ,like <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/224229221389?_ul=MX&amp;chn=ps&amp;norover=1&amp;mkevt=1&amp;mkrid=21562-222008-2056-1&amp;mkcid=2&amp;itemid=224229221389&amp;targetid=853938989187&amp;device=c&amp;mktype=pla&amp;googleloc=1010043&amp;poi=&amp;campaignid=1824172998&amp;mkgroupid=69261309013&amp;rlsatarget=pla-853938989187&amp;abcId=1140946&amp;merchantid=134324558&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwjPaCBhDkARIsAISZN7QdFKqWHKaZVLRxYiP1lYR7i0mOp-Q3dNRDWqS7S8npSNIXwKgudzgaAuVPEALw_wcB" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this usb computer</a> or use dslr camera <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-DSLR-telescope-Prime-focus-VARIABLE-PROJECTION-photography-adapter/254676137991?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818143230%26meid%3D93b95a8c4b1f405a89edb663d63abad9%26pid%3D101224%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D5%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D264921463415%26itm%3D254676137991%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DDefaultOrganic%26brand%3DNikon&amp;_trksid=p2047675.c101224.m-1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">telescope</a> or like</p>
<p>3.- Automatic comparative histogram  (Software), you can use python OpenCV
<a href="https://opencv-python-tutroals.readthedocs.io/en/latest/py_tutorials/py_imgproc/py_histograms/py_histogram_begins/py_histogram_begins.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">enter link description here</a></p>
<p>I hope this links can help you, basically you need compare all histograms of same object</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-27T00:03:21.473Z
I'd voted to close this question as duplicate of [Are there home-brew photometers for amateur observing of variable stars and are they widely used?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/34492/7982) and added a bounty on that one to encourage answers. The targets are different but the amateur photometry setup issues will be very similar. There's one answer there already but I think that this is so helpful that it could also be posted there as well. *Thanks!*
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-27T00:10:42.413Z
I'd written [this answer](https://space.stackexchange.com/a/32522/12102) and mentioned a Raspberry Pi + photodiode-based photometer to measure *transients* rather than absolute brightness. The OP says "construct a transit light curve of a planet. It doesn't have to be an exoplanet." and so the light curve of say Mars or Venus over one synodic period seems to be fair game, as does the beginning and ending transient of a transit across our Sun (for Venus at least).
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-27T01:06:14.703Z
@uhoh A single photo diode will not cut the trick, thus that answer does not apply. You cannot reconstruct a stellar light curve without reference stars due to the changing atmospheric influence which you will have to correct for - and which you can only correct for by using reference stars. Transients will possibly measure more atmospheric influence and its changing conditions than influence of an exoplanet. Your linked answer is only valid for the sun and possibly moon, thus MUCH brighter objects than stars - or you construct an array of photodiodes placed in the focal plane at the...
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-27T01:06:59.963Z
... position of stars. But then you re-invented something similar to a CCD.
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-27T01:28:15.350Z
@planetmaker if the transit is across the face of the Sun then you certainly can! "It doesn't have to be an exoplanet." and if you want to construct the light curve of a planet not in transit, say over one synodic period, you can do that too. I notice that sometimes your comments feel like (to me at least) that they explain things as if others don't know what they are talking about. I think I have a good grasp on the topics I've mentioned and the statements I've made *as written* are pretty much correct; give them a careful, thorough re-read and see if you still see anything wrong as written.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-27T01:35:57.460Z
@planetmaker yes, a CCD is just a lot of photodiodes (and associated integrating circuits) in parallel that share amplifiers and ADCs via a clever bucket-brigade analog shift register. You can argue that the single photodiode might be operable in either [photoconductive or photovoltaic mode](https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/379387/83380) whereas the choice is made for you in the CCD, but each pixel has a photodiode.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-26T20:20:41.530Z
2021-03-26T20:20:41.530Z
Adrian R
<p>What type of equipment would I need to construct a transit light curve of a planet. It doesn't have to be an exoplanet. If somebody could chuck a list that would be really helpful.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-26T10:25:44.990Z
You mean measure a lightcurve? That's a googlable problem.
AtmosphericPrisonEscape
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-26T13:17:19.157Z
I think this is a *great question!* I've voted to close it as duplicate of [Are there home-brew photometers for amateur observing of variable stars and are they widely used?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/34492/are-there-home-brew-photometers-for-amateur-observing-of-variable-stars-and-are) Unfortunately there aren't enough answers there for you, so I've added a bounty to it. But if you think your question is sufficiently different from that one, then please feel free to edit this question and explain what's different. Thanks, and *Welcome to Stack Exchange!*
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-26T13:24:41.837Z
Welcome to astronomy SE! Don't feel dishearted by your question being closed quickly, see the comment by @uhoh.
B--rian
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-26T13:24:51.803Z
Also see [How do we measure the brightness of the stars?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/36025/7982) and in Space Exploration Stack Exchange: [How is the brightness of satellites measured?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/38788/12102) and maybe [Is it possible to capture geostationary satellites with DSLR?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/33891/12102) Do you want to measure the brightness of something that can be photographed with a normal camera, or even a good quality cell phone? Or do you want to measure dimmer things that require a telescope?
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-26T13:27:39.357Z
You can also check out other questions here tagged [amateur-observing & photography](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/amateur-observing+photography) and in Photography Stack Exchange [astrophotography](https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/astrophotography).
uhoh
<planetary-transits>
constructing a transit light curve
John Smith
# constructing a transit light curve

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-26)

What type of equipment would I need to construct a transit light curve of a planet. It doesn't have to be an exoplanet. If somebody could chuck a list that would be really helpful.

**Tags:** planetary-transits

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You mean measure a lightcurve? That's a googlable problem.  
> **username_2**: I think this is a *great question!* I've voted to close it as duplicate of [Are there home-brew photometers for amateur observing of variable stars and are they widely used?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/34492/are-there-home-brew-photometers-for-amateur-observing-of-variable-stars-and-are) Unfortunately there aren't enough answers there for you, so I've added a bounty to it. But if you think your question is sufficiently different from that one, then please feel free to edit this question and explain what's different. Thanks, and *Welcome to Stack Exchange!*  
> **username_3**: Welcome to astronomy SE! Don't feel dishearted by your question being closed quickly, see the comment by @username_2.  
> **username_2**: Also see [How do we measure the brightness of the stars?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/36025/7982) and in Space Exploration Stack Exchange: [How is the brightness of satellites measured?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/38788/12102) and maybe [Is it possible to capture geostationary satellites with DSLR?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/33891/12102) Do you want to measure the brightness of something that can be photographed with a normal camera, or even a good quality cell phone? Or do you want to measure dimmer things that require a telescope?  
> **username_2**: You can also check out other questions here tagged [amateur-observing & photography](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/amateur-observing+photography) and in Photography Stack Exchange [astrophotography](https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/astrophotography).  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-03-26. Score: 2

Basically you need to have the following equipment list

1.- A mechanical system track objects: you can build with 3d printer like:[this prototype](https://www.hackster.io/news/3d-print-your-own-motorized-pan-and-tilt-mount-for-your-dslr-camera-dc557ed2c7ef) and/or python tracking [mechanical controller](https://github.com/SpongeYao/Farmbot_GeneralAP)

2.- A cmos/ccd sensor camera with over exposed function and color filters ,like [this usb computer](https://www.ebay.com/itm/224229221389?_ul=MX&chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=21562-222008-2056-1&mkcid=2&itemid=224229221389&targetid=853938989187&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=1010043&poi=&campaignid=1824172998&mkgroupid=69261309013&rlsatarget=pla-853938989187&abcId=1140946&merchantid=134324558&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjPaCBhDkARIsAISZN7QdFKqWHKaZVLRxYiP1lYR7i0mOp-Q3dNRDWqS7S8npSNIXwKgudzgaAuVPEALw_wcB) or use dslr camera [telescope](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-DSLR-telescope-Prime-focus-VARIABLE-PROJECTION-photography-adapter/254676137991?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818143230%26meid%3D93b95a8c4b1f405a89edb663d63abad9%26pid%3D101224%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D5%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D264921463415%26itm%3D254676137991%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DDefaultOrganic%26brand%3DNikon&_trksid=p2047675.c101224.m-1) or like

3.- Automatic comparative histogram (Software), you can use python OpenCV
[enter link description here](https://opencv-python-tutroals.readthedocs.io/en/latest/py_tutorials/py_imgproc/py_histograms/py_histogram_begins/py_histogram_begins.html)

I hope this links can help you, basically you need compare all histograms of same object

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I'd voted to close this question as duplicate of [Are there home-brew photometers for amateur observing of variable stars and are they widely used?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/34492/7982) and added a bounty on that one to encourage answers. The targets are different but the amateur photometry setup issues will be very similar. There's one answer there already but I think that this is so helpful that it could also be posted there as well. *Thanks!*  
> **username_2**: I'd written [this answer](https://space.stackexchange.com/a/32522/12102) and mentioned a Raspberry Pi + photodiode-based photometer to measure *transients* rather than absolute brightness. The OP says "construct a transit light curve of a planet. It doesn't have to be an exoplanet." and so the light curve of say Mars or Venus over one synodic period seems to be fair game, as does the beginning and ending transient of a transit across our Sun (for Venus at least).  
> **username_5**: @username_2 A single photo diode will not cut the trick, thus that answer does not apply. You cannot reconstruct a stellar light curve without reference stars due to the changing atmospheric influence which you will have to correct for - and which you can only correct for by using reference stars. Transients will possibly measure more atmospheric influence and its changing conditions than influence of an exoplanet. Your linked answer is only valid for the sun and possibly moon, thus MUCH brighter objects than stars - or you construct an array of photodiodes placed in the focal plane at the...  
> **username_5**: ... position of stars. But then you re-invented something similar to a CCD.  
> **username_2**: @username_5 if the transit is across the face of the Sun then you certainly can! "It doesn't have to be an exoplanet." and if you want to construct the light curve of a planet not in transit, say over one synodic period, you can do that too. I notice that sometimes your comments feel like (to me at least) that they explain things as if others don't know what they are talking about. I think I have a good grasp on the topics I've mentioned and the statements I've made *as written* are pretty much correct; give them a careful, thorough re-read and see if you still see anything wrong as written.  
> **username_2**: @username_5 yes, a CCD is just a lot of photodiodes (and associated integrating circuits) in parallel that share amplifiers and ADCs via a clever bucket-brigade analog shift register. You can argue that the single photodiode might be operable in either [photoconductive or photovoltaic mode](https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/379387/83380) whereas the choice is made for you in the CCD, but each pixel has a photodiode.  

---

