Note: With the end of the transit search phase of the KELT project, the KFUN operation is going into hiatus. We will post more information here once new plans for the network are developed.
We use the KELT telescopes to gather light curves of stars all over the sky to search for transiting planets. However, identifying a transit candidate in a light curve is only the start of the discovery process. There is then an extensive procedure to verify that the signal in the KELT data is real, and that it is also due to a transiting planet. That process uses a series of additional observations by other telescopes. Those telescopes, while larger than the KELT telescopes, are still relatively small, ranging from 10 inches to 1 meter in diameter. They observe the KELT transit candidates, obtaining targeted, precise light curves that verify the properties of the potential planets. One of the nice aspects of that process is that these observations can often be conducted by amateur astronomers, or by small observatories at colleges located in places where many kinds of astronomical observations are impractical. However, follow-up of KELT candidates is one kind of scientific research that can be done with a modest-sized telescope in a region with bad weather, light pollution, and poor-quality seeing. That is because measuring light curves does not require the perfect sky quality needs for observations of distant or faint galaxies.
We have assembled a voluntary network of observers all over the world to follow-up the KELT transit candidates, in an organization called KFUN, the KELT Follow-Up Network. We have dozens of colleges, high schools, and amateur astronomers that observe KELT transit candidates, and KELT to confirm them as planets or identify them as false positives. KFUN members are located all over the world, as shown in the embedded map below. many of them are in the continental US, but was have partners in Europe, the Middle East, South America, Australia and New Zealand, and Asia. For more information about the members of KFUN and the nature of their observations, see the paper "The KELT Follow-up Network and Transit False-positive Catalog: Pre-vetted False Positives for TESS" (arxiv link, journal link)
New members of the KELT Follow-Up Network should visit our orientation page.
| Institution / Observatory | Team Members | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Australian National University | George Zhou, Joao Da Silva Bento, Michael Ireland | Siding Spring Observatory, Australia |
| Perth Exoplanet Survey Telescope (PEST) | TG Tan | Perth, Australia |
| Ivan Curtis Observatory (ICO) | Ivan Curtis | Adelaide, Australia |
| Shaw Observatory | Neil Shaw | Perth, Australia |
| Mt. Kent Observatory | John Kielkopf | Queensland, Australia |
| Ellinbank Observatory | Peter Nelson | Victoria, Australia |
| Harlingten San Pedro | Petri Kehusmaa | San Pedro de Atacama, Chile |
| Harlingten Observatory, Spain | Tony Angel | Granada, Spain |
| Hankasalmi Observatory | Arto Oksanen | Finland |
| Swarthmore College, Peter van de Kamp Observatory | Eric Jensen, David Cohen | Swarthmore, PA |
| Westminster College, Westminster College Observatory | Tom Oberst | New Wilmington, PA |
| Crow Observatory | Joao Gregorio | Portalegre, Portugal |
| Wellesley College, Whitin Observatory | Kim McLeod | Wellesley, MA |
| University of Wyoming, Red Buttes Observatory | Hannah Jang-Condell | Laramie, Wyoming |
| MBA Observatory | Mark Manner | McMinnville, TN |
| Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory - KeplerCam and TRES | David Latham, Allyson Bieryla | Mt. Hopkins, AZ |
| University of Louisville, Moore Observatory | Karen Collins, John Kielkopf | Louisville, KY |
| George Mason University, GMU Observatory | Peter Plavchan | Fairfax, VA |
| Bringham Young University, Pratt Observatory and West Mountain Observatory | Michael Joner, Denise Stephens | Provo, Utah |
| Kutztown University, Kutztown Observatory | Phillip Reed | Kutztown, PA |
| Canis Major Observatory | Roberto Zambelli | Sarzana, Italy |
| University of Salerno, Salerno University Observatory | Valerio Bozza | Fisciano Salerno, Italy |
| Okayama Astrophysical Observatory | Norio Narita, Akihiko Fukui | Okayama, Japan |
| Myers T50 | Gordon Myers | Siding Spring, Australia |
| Wingaersheek Observatory | Mario Motta | Gloucester, MA |
| University of Canterbury, Mt. John Observatory | Michael Albrow | Lake Tekapo, New Zealand |
| Hazelwood Observatory | Chris Stockdale | Churchill, Victoria, Australia |
| Ankara University, Ankara University Kreiken Observatory (AUKR) | Ozgur Basturk | Ankara, Turkey |
| University of Colorado - Boulder, CU Sommers-Bausch Observatory | Erica Ellingson | Boulder, Colorado |
| Mt. Lemon / Steward ULMT | Karen Collins, John Kielkopf, Mark Manner | Mt. Lemon, AZ |
| Conti Private Observatory | Dennis Conti | Annapolis, MD |
| Amateur Astronomers Incorporated - William Miller Sperry Observatory | Jim Nordhausen | Cranford, NJ |
| Phillips Andover Academy, Phillips Academy Observatory | Caroline Odden | Andover, MA |
| Acton Sky Portal | Paul Benni | Acton, MA |
| Star View Hill Observatory | Emily Mailhot, Alan Midkiff | |
| University of Maryland, UMD Observatory | Elizabeth Warner | College Park, MD |
| Las Campanas Remote Observatory | Michael Long | Las Campanas |
| Grinnell College, Grant O. Gale Observatory | Eliza Kempton | Grinnell, Iowa |
| Ohio State University, DEMONEXT Telescope | Steven Villanueva | Sonoita, Arizona |
| Rarotonga Observatory | Phil Evans | Cook Islands |
| El Sauce Observatory | Phil Evans | La Serena Chile |
| Pukekohe Observatory | Simon Lowther | Pukekohe, Aukland, NZ |
| Mt Stuart Observatory | Geof Wingham | Waitahuna Gully, New Zealand |
| Parkdale Observatory | Stuart Parker | Oxford, New Zealand |
| Austin College, Adams Observatory | David Baker | Sherman, Texas |
| Vassar College, Class of 1951 Observatory | Colette Salyk | Poughkeepsie, NY |
| Michigan State University, Michigan State Campus Observatory | Laura Chomiuk | Lansing, Michigan |
| Ypres Observatory, NMPT public observatory astrolab IRIS | Siegfried Vanaverbeke | Ypres, Belgium |
| Patashnick Voorheesville Observatory | Harvey Patashnick, Richard Schwarz | Voorheesville, NY |
| SDAA Terry Arnold Remote Observatory (TARO), Boyce Research Initiatives and Education Foundation (BRIEF) | Scott Dixon | Tierra Del Sol, CA |
| Marman Observatory | Cliff Kotnik | Pike's Peak, CO |
| Stacja Obserwacji Tranzytów Egzoplanet w Suwałkach (SOTES) | Gabriel Murawski | Suwalki, Poland |
| Scorpius Observatory | Jay Goguen | Pasadena, CA |
| Anunaki Observatory | David Molina | Manzenares el Real, Spain |
| International Occultation Timing Association - Middle East (IOTA/ME), ISA (Iran Space Agency) Observatory | Atila Poro | Karaj, Iran |
| University of Pittsburgh, Keeler Telescope at the Allegheny Observatory | Helena Richie | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Research Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics of Maragha, RIAAM Observatory | Rahim Heidarnia | Maragha, Iran |
| Truman State University, Truman State University Observatory | Vayujeet Gokhale | Kirksville, MO |
| US Air Force Academy, USAFA Observatory | Devin Della-Rose | Colorado Springs, CO |
| The University of Southern Queensland - Center for Astrophysics | Rhodes Hart, Bradley Carter, Ian Waite | Queensland, Australia |
| The University of Southern Queensland and The University of Louisville - Minerva Australis | Rob Wittenmyer, Duncan Wright, John Kielkopf | Queensland, Australia |
| Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica (LNA) / Pico dos Dias Observatory (OPD) | Eder Martioli | Itajubá, Brazil |
| Mt. Airy Observatory | Chuck Cynamon | Mt. Airy, MD |
After 14 years of observations, 17 years since the project conception, 26 planets discovered, and dozens of papers, the KELT transit search is ending. This transition has been long-expected, since the NASA TESS mission has revolutionized the discovery of transiting exoplanets. We will continue observations by both KELT telescopes for as long as practical, since there is so much more science to be done outside of transit discovery. Thank you to everyone who supported the KELT project!
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