TESS CTL Stars Observed in Multiple Sectors

Part I. Introduction

This document describes how to create a list of TESS CTL stars (stars observed at a 2-minute cadence) across multiple sectors and then use the list to build a TESS CTL light curve directory with LcGenerator. If you have any questions, please contact the LcTools author at aschmitt@comcast.net.

Part II. Opening a TESS CTL Multi-Sector Report File

1. Using the table below, find the multi-sector report file you wish to access. Right-click on the file and select “Open link in new window” from the pop-up menu. Move the window so you can still see these instructions.

Available TESS CTL Multi-Sector Report Files

2. You will be taken to Google Drive on the Web. Click on the Download icon located in the top right corner of the page. The icon should look like this:

3. Once your Web browser has downloaded the file, click on the file to open it in Excel. There will be one row for each star observed in multiple sectors. Data columns in the report include:

TIC ID
Sectors Observed
Sector Count
Total Time Observed (Days)

Keep the file open. You will use it later in the process.

Part III. Using LcGenerator to Build a TESS CTL Light Curve Directory

1. Start LcGenerator.

2. In the "Lightcurve Directory" field, type-in the full pathname of a new CTL light curve directory. Any target drive or folder may be used. For example "C:\Lightcurves_TESS_CVZ_South".

3. In the Project field, select TESS from drop-down list.

4. Under the "Star List File" field, click the Select button. In the subsequent dialog box, right-click on file "Stars.txt" and select Edit from the pop-up menu. File "Stars.txt" will be opened in Notepad for editing.

5. In the multi-sector report file, select the TIC IDs for the light curve files to build. Limit the number selected to about 50,000. More than that may cause performance or usability issues in LcTools. To sort and filter the list, click the "Enable Editing" button.

6. Copy and paste the selected TIC IDs into Notepad.

7. Save the file under the same filename then close Notepad.

8. Click the Open button in the same dialog box that was opened in step 4.

9. Close the multi-sector report file.

10. In the Periods group box, click the All radio button to select all available sectors.

11. In the Cadence group box, select a bin size from the drop-down list. If you intend to run LcSignalFinder later on, a value of 2 points per hour is recommended.

12. Select an applicable flux type (PDCSAP or SAP). PDCSAP is the default.

13. Select an applicable quality filter. The second button is recommended.

14. Click the "Start Job" to begin building light curve files in the specified directory. A sample LcGenerator window is shown below:

See the "LcGenerator User Guide" for details. The document can be opened within LcGenerator by selecting "Help→User Guide" from the menu bar.

15. While the job is executing, you can use LcViewer to view the light curve files built thus far by LcGenerator. See section "Using Work Groups" in the "LcViewer User Guide". The document can be opened within LcViewer by selecting "Help→User Guide" from the menu bar.

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