Three New Light Curves and Updated Transit Timings of WASP-135 b

Abstract

We present updated transit timing measurements for the hot Jupiter WASP-135 b using three new ground-based transit observations obtained with Leia, a 0.6-meter telescope operated by NASA's Exoplanet Watch at the Table Mountain Facility. These observations, conducted as part of Exoplanet Watch citizen science initiative, were analyzed with the EXOplanet Transit Interpretation Code (EXOTIC) pipeline to generate high-quality light curves and extract precise mid-transit times. By combining our new data with previously published observations, we refined the planet's ephemeris, reducing uncertainties in both the orbital period and mid-transit time. Our final mid-transit value is 2460585.6563426 +/- 0.00001908 BJD_TDB and the final period value is 1.4013776 +/- 0.0000002 days. Our updated timing solution demonstrates a 92% reduction in mid-transit time uncertainty compared to the original discovery paper and improves the precision of transit forecasts through 2030 which is critical to ensure efficient scheduling of future missions, such as ESA's Ariel. This work highlights the critical role of ongoing ground-based observations by students and citizen scientists in maintaining accurate ephemerides, which are essential for planning future space-based follow-up with facilities such as the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes. The work in this paper was done as part of the SEDS-PH (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space-Philippines) Upskill Groups, which provides opportunities for Filipinos to participate in space-related projects.