The photometric observation of the quasi-simultaneous mutual eclipse and occultation between Europa and Ganymede on 22 August 2021

So, Chu-wing; Luk, Godfrey Ho-ching; Chung, Giann On-ching; Leung, Po-kin; Hui, Kenneith Ho-keung; Cheung, Jack Lap-chung; Chan, Ka-wo; Yuen, Edwin Lok-hei; Lee, Lawrence Wai-kwan; Lau, Patrick Kai-ip; Cheung, Gloria Wing-shan; Chan, Prince Chun-lam; Pun, Jason Chun-shing

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115348

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…An eclipse is when the planet passes between the star and moon. Two moon-planet-star conjunctions occur every moon orbit if a moon orbits near the planet-star ecliptic (as is the case for the Galilean satellites of Jupiter, which experience mutual events every ∼day; Gonzalez 2009;Saquet et al 2016;Catani et al 2023;So et al 2023). If a moon is sufficiently inclined relative to the ecliptic, these events will typically occur multiple times per planet orbit.…”

Section: Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exomoons and Exorings with the Habitable Worlds Observatory. I. On the Detection of Earth–Moon Analog Shadows and Eclipses

Limbach,

Lustig-Yaeger,

Vanderburg

et al. 2024

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The highest priority recommendation of the Astro2020 Decadal Survey for space-based astronomy was the construction of an observatory capable of characterizing habitable worlds. In this paper series we explore the detectability of and interference from exomoons and exorings serendipitously observed with the proposed Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) as it seeks to characterize exoplanets, starting in this manuscript with Earth–Moon analog mutual events. Unlike transits, which only occur in systems viewed near edge-on, shadow (i.e., solar eclipse) and lunar eclipse mutual events occur in almost every star–planet–moon system. The cadence of these events can vary widely from ∼yearly to multiple events per day, as was the case in our younger Earth–Moon system. Leveraging previous space-based (EPOXI) light curves of a Moon transit and performance predictions from the LUVOIR-B concept, we derive the detectability of Moon analogs with HWO. We determine that Earth–Moon analogs are detectable with observation of ∼2–20 mutual events for systems within 10 pc, and larger moons should remain detectable out to 20 pc. We explore the extent to which exomoon mutual events can mimic planet features and weather. We find that HWO wavelength coverage in the near-infrared, specifically in the 1.4 μm water band where large moons can outshine their host planet, will aid in differentiating exomoon signals from exoplanet variability. Finally, we predict that exomoons formed through collision processes akin to our Moon are more likely to be detected in younger systems, where shorter orbital periods and favorable geometry enhance the probability and frequency of mutual events.

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Section: Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%