Ground-Based Light Curve Follow-Up Validations of TESS Object of Interest TOI 5443.01

Exoplanets are defined as planets that orbit stars outside of the solar system. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission identifies exoplanet candidates by detecting periodic brightness dips known as transits; here, we present ground-based follow-up validation of TESS Object of Interest (TOI) 5443.01. Using GMU’s 0.8 meter telescope, we collected dark, flat, and science images during the night of the predicted transit. The software AstroImageJ was then used to conduct data reduction, plate solve science images, and generate graphs such as light curves to allow for transit detection and further analysis. The generated light curve plot indicated a transit occurring within the predicted time frame and also passed the odd-even test, suggesting that the object of interest is likely an exoplanet. However, due to the inconclusive result of the NEB check on TOI-5443.01, further research must be conducted to completely rule out the possibility of the transit detection being a false positive.