Multiepoch Detections of the Extended Atmosphere and Transmission Spectra of KELT-9b with a 1.5 m Telescope

Abstract Irradiated Jovian atmospheres are complex and dynamic and can undergo temporal variations due to the close proximity of their parent stars. Of the Jovian planets that have been cataloged to date, KELT-9b is the hottest gas giant known, with an equilibrium temperature of 4050 K. We probe the temporal variability of transmission spectroscopic signatures from KELT-9b via a set of archival multiyear ground-based transit observations, performed with the TRES facility on the 1.5 m reflector at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory. Our observations confirm past detections of Fe i, Fe ii, and Mg i over multiple epochs, in addition to excess absorption at Hα, which is an indicator for ongoing mass loss. From our multiyear data set, the Hα light curve consistently deviates from a standard transit and follows a “W” shape that is deeper near ingress and egress and shallower midtransit. To search for and quantify any seasonal variations that may be present, we parameterize a “cometary tail” model to fit for the Hα transit. We find no detectable variations between the different observed epochs. Though a “cometary tail” describes the Hα flux variations well, we note that such a scenario requires a high density of neutral hydrogen in the n = 2 excited state far beyond the planetary atmosphere. Other scenarios, such as center-to-limb variations larger than that expected from 1D atmosphere models, may also contribute to the observed Hα transit shape. These multiepoch observations highlight the capabilities of small telescopes to provide temporal monitoring of the dynamics of exoplanet atmospheres.