Updated parameters for the transiting exoplanet WASP-3b using RISE, a new fast camera for the Liverpool Telescope

Abstract

Some of the first results are reported from RISE - a new fast camera mounted on the Liverpool Telescope primarily designed to obtain high time-resolution light curves of transiting extrasolar planets for the purpose of transit timing. A full and partial transit of WASP-3 are presented, and a Markov-Chain Monte Carlo analysis is used to update the parameters from the discovery paper. This results in a planetary radius of 1.29-0.12+0.05 RJ and therefore a density of 0.82 -0.09+0.14 PJ, consistent with previous results. The inclination is 85.06-0.15+0.16 deg, in agreement (but with a significant improvement in the precision) with the previously determined value. Central transit times are found to be consistent with the ephemeris given in the discovery paper; however, a new ephemeris calculated using the longer baseline results in Tc(0) = 2454 605.55915 ± 0.00023 HJD and P = 1.846835 ± 0.000002 days. © 2008 ESO.