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Didier Queloz

Publications and source records attributed to Didier Queloz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

DUET: Design of a simultaneous InGaAs--CCD split-beam imager for ultra-cool dwarf exoplanet transit survey

We present the design of DUET, a dual-channel imager being built for the SPECULOOS-Southern Observatory (SSO) to detect and characterise transiting terrestrial exoplanets orbiting ultra-cool dwarfs. A dichroic beamsplitter at 955\,nm directs visible light to a deeply-depleted silicon CCD and near-infrared light to a CMOS-based InGaAs detector, enabling fully simultaneous photometry with bandpasses from 0.4 to 1.7\,\textmu m. The near-infrared filters have been chosen to suppress sensitivity to atmospheric precipitable water vapour (PWV) variability, a dominant source of correlated noise in ground-based infrared photometry of cool stars. We describe the optical and mechanical architecture, the dichroic and filter selection, the choice of detectors, and the control system.

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MIRA: a data management and education platform connecting students to robotic telescopes

Hands-on telescope experience is often used to drive student engagement in astronomy education, but scaling access to larger groups of students is operationally challenging. Consequently, students encounter only a fraction of the professional workflow, rarely engaging with the rigorous peer-review, time-allocation processes, or automated data reduction pipelines that govern modern research facilities. We present the design of MIRA (Mentored Investigations using Robotic Astronomy), a data management and educational platform that connects Swiss secondary school and undergraduate students with operational robotic observatories. MIRA structures the entire observation lifecycle: proposal, review, acceptance/rejection, scheduling, and observation. Following execution, the platform automatically reduces raw FITS frames (including astrometric calibration and photometry) and serves them via a web-accessible archive accompanied by Python-based analysis tutorials. By separating educational front-ends from low-level telescope controls through Astra and ASCOM Alpaca, MIRA delivers an authentic scientific research workflow that bridges classroom learning with professional observatory operations.

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Astra: an open-source fully autonomous robotic observatory control software

Robotic and autonomous observatories are critical for modern time-domain and high-cadence astronomical surveys. The operation of these facilities requires complex software coordination to manage hardware, schedule observations, and ensure safety. However, existing observatory control software are often proprietary and platform-locked or require complex message-brokering infrastructure. Here we present Astra (Automated Survey observaTory Robotised with Alpaca): an open-source, cross-platform Python system for the sustained, fully autonomous operation of astronomical observatories, requiring no external message-broker infrastructure. Astra controls observatory hardware via the ASCOM Alpaca protocol, and executes prescheduled observatory actions under continuous safety supervision. Its multi-device actions include plate-solve-based pointing correction with a local Gaia--2MASS catalogue fallback, PID-controlled autoguiding, and autofocus. A FastAPI web service provides a browser UI, REST and WebSocket APIs for real-time status, image previews, and SQLite-backed telemetry and logs. Astra has run in fully unattended production since January 2024, scaling to six telescopes across three facilities: the SPECULOOS-South network (4 $\times$ 1\,m class, Chile), SAINT-EX (1\,m class, Mexico), and the ETH Observatory (0.5\,m class, Switzerland), with no schedule aborts attributable to Astra software. Across the SPECULOOS-South network, it achieves sub-arcsecond autoguiding (0.11\unit{\arcsecond} median pointing scatter) and plate-solve failure rates below 1\% on three of the four telescopes (3\% on the narrowest-field unit), demonstrating that an open, standards-based software stack can meet the reliability demands of production survey astronomy.

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A Previously Underexplored Regime in TESS: Minute-Scale Eclipses Reveal Ten White Dwarf-Cool M-Dwarf Binaries

Short-period white-dwarf (WD) binaries are post-common-envelope systems that constrain orbital shrinkage, envelope evolution, and the survival of low-mass companions. We report the discovery and confirmation of ten fully eclipsing short-period WD + cool M-dwarf binaries identified through a tailored search for minute-scale eclipses in Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) high-cadence data and validated with SPECULOOS multi-band photometry. The systems have orbital periods of a few hours and companions with effective temperatures of 2700-3400 K. These discoveries demonstrate that TESS contains a previously underexplored population of compact WD binaries whose short-duration, high-frequency, and often diluted eclipse signals are not efficiently recovered by standard transit-search pipelines. Whereas the literature contained only one eclipsing WD+M binary reported as a TESS-based discovery, our pilot search of $\sim3.7\times10^4$ Gaia-selected WDs yields ten new confirmed systems, increasing the TESS-discovered sample by an order of magnitude. SPECULOOS follow-up confirms the eclipses occur on target and uses chromatic eclipse dilution to distinguish stellar from substellar companions. We combine multi-band eclipse photometry with Bayesian spectral energy distribution modeling to derive self-consistent WD and companion parameters. The resulting systems expand the known population of fully eclipsing WD+M binaries and notably double the number of systems in temperature regimes corresponding to M4 and M7 companions. This work establishes a scalable framework for identifying compact WD binaries in time-domain photometric surveys. Applied to TESS archival data across the full Gaia WD-candidate catalog ($\sim1.3\times10^6$ sources), this approach opens the prospect of assembling a population large enough to constrain post-common-envelope evolution and the stellar-substellar transition.

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An Ultra-Short Period Super-Earth and a Sub-Neptune Orbiting the K dwarf TOI-4311

We report the discovery and characterisation of the multi-planetary system around TOI-4311, a K dwarf kinematically between the Galactic thick disk and Hercules stream. TOI-4311 hosts an ultra-short-period super-Earth (P$\sim$0.99 d, $1.376\substack{+0.077\\-0.080}$ R$_\oplus$) and a longer period sub-Neptune (P$\sim$15 d, $2.47\substack{+0.12\\-0.11}$ R$_\oplus$) that was first detected in the TESS photometry. Using follow-up observations with CHEOPS and HARPS, we refine the planetary radius of both planets, derive the mass of planet b ($4.5\substack{+1.5\\-1.4}$ M$_\oplus$) and confirm the planetary nature of planet c. Intriguingly, a third periodic signal is clearly detected in our HARPS RVs that we cannot link to stellar activity. This signal could be attributed to a third planet (P$\sim$38 d, Msin(i)=$26.4\substack{+6.3\\-6.8}$ M$_\oplus$) in the system, however with the current photometric dataset we do not find a transit. Our dynamical analysis highlights that this potential outer planet would remain stable. Using the precise radius and mass for TOI-4311 b we model its interior structure and find that it is very dense given the host star's galactic kinematics and chemistry. Hence this system could challenge current formation theories and provide insights into planet formation across the galaxy.

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TOI-4616 b: a benchmark Earth-sized planet transiting a nearby M4 dwarf

Rocky exoplanets are particularly abundant around M-type stars. Their small radii and low luminosities provide favourable conditions for detecting transiting terrestrial planets and probing their atmospheric properties. We report the discovery and statistical validation of TOI-4616 b, an Earth-sized planet transiting a nearby mid-M dwarf observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). We confirm the planetary nature of the signal and determine the system parameters by combining TESS photometry with ground-based multi-band transit observations, high-resolution imaging, and optical and near-infrared spectroscopy. The host star lies at a distance of 28.10 +(-) 0.07 pc and has a radius of 0.1889 +(-)0.0096 solar radii, a mass of 0.1881 +(-) 0.0094 solar masses, and an effective temperature of 3150 +(-) 75 K. TOI-4616 b has a radius of 1.22 Earth radii and an orbital period of 1.55 days. The planet receives an incident flux of approximately 40 times that of Earth, corresponding to an equilibrium temperature of about 525 K. This places TOI-4616 b in a regime intermediate between Earth-sized planets orbiting early M dwarfs and those around ultra-cool hosts. Statistical validation with the TRICERATOPS framework, supported by high-resolution imaging and chromatic transit constraints, yields a false-positive probability of 0.0135, below the recommended validation threshold of 0.015, confirming TOI-4616 b as a validated planet. Owing to its proximity to Earth, well-constrained stellar properties, and extensive multi-band follow-up, TOI-4616 b constitutes a valuable benchmark system for comparative studies of terrestrial planets around mid-M dwarfs and for future atmospheric investigations.

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NGTS-11 c: a transiting Neptune-mass planet interior to the warm Saturn NGTS-11 b

We report the discovery of NGTS-11 c, a transiting warm Neptune ($P \approx 12.8$ d; $M_{p} = 1.2^{+0.3}_{-0.2} M_{\mathrm{Nep}}$; $R_{p} = 1.24 \pm 0.03 R_{\mathrm{Nep}}$), in an orbit interior to the previously reported transiting warm Saturn NGTS-11 b ($P \approx 35.5$ d). We also find evidence of a third outer companion orbiting the K-dwarf NGTS-11. We first detected transits of NGTS-11 c in TESS light curves and confirmed them with follow-up transits from NGTS and many other ground-based facilities. Radial-velocity monitoring with the HARPS and FEROS spectrographs revealed the mass of NGTS-11 c and provides evidence for a long-period companion ($P > 2300$ d; $M_{p} \sin i > 3.6 M_{\mathrm{Jup}}$). Taking into account the two additional bodies in our expanded datasets, we find that the mass of NGTS-11 b ($M_{p} = 0.63 \pm 0.09 M_{\mathrm{Sat}}$; $R_{p} = 0.97 \pm 0.02 R_{\mathrm{Sat}}$) is lower than previously reported ($M_{p} = 1.2 \pm 0.3 M_{\mathrm{Sat}}$). Given their near-circular and compact orbits, NGTS-11 c and b are unlikely to have reached their present locations via high-eccentricity migration. Instead, they probably either formed in situ or formed farther out and then underwent disk migration. A comparison of NGTS-11 with the eight other known systems hosting multiple well-characterized warm giants shows that it is most similar to Kepler-56. Finally, we find that the commonly used 10-day boundary between hot and warm Jupiters is empirically well supported.

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An Ultra-Short Period Super-Earth and Sub-Neptune Spanning the Radius Valley Orbiting the Kinematic Thick Disk Star TOI-2345

A crucial chemical link between stars and their orbiting exoplanets is thought to exist. If universal, this connection could affect the formation and evolution of all planets. Therefore, this potential vital link needs testing by characterising exoplanets around chemically-diverse stars. We present the discovery of two planets orbiting the metal-poor, kinematic thick-disk K-dwarf TOI-2345. TOI-2345 b is a super-Earth with a period of 1.05 days and TOI-2345 c is a sub-Neptune with a period of 21 days. In addition to the target being observed in 4 TESS sectors, we obtained 5 CHEOPS visits and 26 radial velocities from HARPS. By conducting a joint analysis of all the data, we find TOI-2345 b to have a radius of $1.504\substack{+0.047\\-0.044}$ R$_\oplus$ and a mass of $3.49\pm0.85$ M$_\oplus$; and TOI-2345 c to have a radius of $2.451\substack{+0.045\\-0.046}$ R$_\oplus$ and a mass of $7.27\substack{+2.27\\-2.45}$ M$_\oplus$. To explore chemical links between these planets and their host star, we model their interior structures newly accounting for devolatised stellar abundances. TOI-2345 adds to the limited sample of well characterised planetary systems around thick disk stars. This system challenges theories of formation and populations of planets around thick disk stars with its Ultra-Short Period super-Earth and the wide period distribution of these two planets spanning the radius valley.

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A transiting giant planet in orbit around a 0.2-solar-mass host star

Planet formation models suggest that the formation of giant planets is significantly harder around low-mass stars, due to the scaling of protoplanetary disc masses with stellar mass. The discovery of giant planets orbiting such low-mass stars thus imposes strong constraints on giant planet formation processes. Here, we report the discovery of a transiting giant planet orbiting a $0.207 \pm 0.011 M_{\odot}$ star. The planet, TOI-6894 b, has a mass and radius of $M_P = 0.168 \pm 0.022 M_J (53.4 \pm 7.1 M_{\oplus})$ and $R_P = 0.855 \pm 0.022 R_J$, and likely includes $12 \pm 2 M_{\oplus}$ of metals. The discovery of TOI-6894 b highlights the need for a better understanding of giant planet formation mechanisms and the protoplanetary disc environments in which they occur. The extremely deep transits (17% depth) make TOI-6894 b one of the most accessible exoplanetary giants for atmospheric characterisation observations, which will be key for fully interpreting the formation history of this remarkable system and for the study of atmospheric methane chemistry.

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In-situ observations of resident space objects with the CHEOPS space telescope

The CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) is a partnership between the European Space Agency and Switzerland with important contributions by 10 additional ESA member States. It is the first S-class mission in the ESA Science Programme. CHEOPS has been flying on a Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit since December 2019, collecting millions of short-exposure images in the visible domain to study exoplanet properties. A small yet increasing fraction of CHEOPS images show linear trails caused by resident space objects crossing the instrument field of view. To characterize the population of satellites and orbital debris observed by CHEOPS, all and every science images acquired over the past 3 years have been scanned with a Hough transform algorithm to identify the characteristic linear features that these objects cause on the images. Thousands of trails have been detected. This statistically significant sample shows interesting trends and features such as an increased occurrence rate over the past years as well as the fingerprint of the Starlink constellation. The cross-matching of individual trails with catalogued objects is underway as we aim to measure their distance at the time of observation and deduce the apparent magnitude of the detected objects. As space agencies and private companies are developing new space-based surveillance and tracking activities to catalogue and characterize the distribution of small debris, the CHEOPS experience is timely and relevant. With the first CHEOPS mission extension currently running until the end of 2026, and a possible second extension until the end of 2029, the longer time coverage will make our dataset even more valuable to the community, especially for characterizing objects with recurrent crossings.

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Infrared photometry with InGaAs detectors: First light with SPECULOOS

We present the photometric performance of SPIRIT, a ground-based near-infrared InGaAs CMOS-based instrument (1280 by 1024 pixels, 12 micron pitch), using on-sky results from the SPECULOOS-Southern Observatory during 2022 - 2023. SPIRIT was specifically designed to optimise time-series photometric precision for observing late M and L type stars. To achieve this, a custom wide-pass filter (0.81 - 1.33 microns, zYJ ) was used, which was also designed to minimise the effects of atmospheric precipitable water vapour (PWV) variability on differential photometry. Additionally, SPIRIT was designed to be maintenance-free by eliminating the need for liquid nitrogen for cooling. We compared SPIRIT's performance with a deeply-depleted (2048 by 2048 pixels, 13.5 micron pitch) CCD-based instrument (using an I+z' filter, 0.7 - 1.1 microns) through simultaneous observations. For L type stars and cooler, SPIRIT exhibited better photometric noise performance compared to the CCD-based instrument. The custom filter also significantly minimised red noise in the observed light curves typically introduced by atmospheric PWV variability. In SPIRIT observations, the detector's read noise was the dominant limitation, although in some cases, we were limited by the lack of comparison stars.

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An extended low-density atmosphere around the Jupiter-sized planet WASP-193 b

Gas giants transiting bright nearby stars provide crucial insights into planetary system formation and evolution mechanisms. Most of these planets exhibit certain average characteristics, serving as benchmarks for our understanding of planetary systems. However, outliers like the planet we present in this study, WASP-193b, offer unique opportunities to explore unconventional formation and evolution processes. This planet completes an orbit around its Vmag=12.2 F9 main-sequence host star every 6.25 d. Our analyses found that WASP-193b has a mass of Mp=0.139+/-0.029 MJup and a radius of Rp=1.464+/-0.058 RJup, translating into an extremely low density of rho_p = 0.059+/-0.014 g/cm^3, at least one order of magnitude less than standard gas giants like Jupiter. Typical gas giants such as Jupiter have densities that range between 0.2 and 2 g/cm^3. The combination of its large transit depth (dF~1.4%), its extremely-low density, its high-equilibrium temperature (Teq = 1254+/-31 K), and the infrared brightness of its host star (magnitude Kmag=10.7) makes WASP-193b an exquisite target for characterization by transmission spectroscopy (transmission spectroscopy metric: TSM~600). One single JWST transit observation would yield detailed insights into its atmospheric properties and planetary mass, providing a unique window to explore the mechanisms behind its exceptionally low density and shed light on giant planets' diverse nature.

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Detection of an Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting the nearby ultracool dwarf star SPECULOOS-3

Located at the bottom of the main sequence, ultracool dwarf stars are widespread in the solar neighbourhood. Nevertheless, their extremely low luminosity has left their planetary population largely unexplored, and only one of them, TRAPPIST-1, has so far been found to host a transiting planetary system. In this context, we present the SPECULOOS project's detection of an Earth-sized planet in a 17 h orbit around an ultracool dwarf of M6.5 spectral type located 16.8 pc away. The planet's high irradiation (16 times that of Earth) combined with the infrared luminosity and Jupiter-like size of its host star make it one of the most promising rocky exoplanet targets for detailed emission spectroscopy characterization with JWST. Indeed, our sensitivity study shows that just ten secondary eclipse observations with the Mid-InfraRed Instrument/Low-Resolution Spectrometer on board JWST should provide strong constraints on its atmospheric composition and/or surface mineralogy.

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A long-period transiting substellar companion in the super-Jupiters to brown dwarfs mass regime and a prototypical warm-Jupiter detected by TESS

We report on the confirmation and follow-up characterization of two long-period transiting substellar companions on low-eccentricity orbits around TIC 4672985 and TOI-2529, whose transit events were detected by the TESS space mission. Ground-based photometric and spectroscopic follow-up from different facilities, confirmed the substellar nature of TIC 4672985 b, a massive gas giant, in the transition between the super Jupiters and brown dwarfs mass regime. From the joint analysis we derived the following orbital parameters: P = 69.0480 d, Mp = 12.74 Mjup, Rp = 1.026 Rjup and e = 0.018. In addition, the RV time series revealed a significant trend at the 350 m/s/yr level, which is indicative of the presence of a massive outer companion in the system. TIC 4672985 b is a unique example of a transiting substellar companion with a mass above the deuterium-burning limit, located beyond 0.1 AU and in a nearly circular orbit. These planetary properties are difficult to reproduce from canonical planet formation and evolution models. For TOI-2529 b, we obtained the following orbital parameters: P = 64.5949 d, Mp = 2.340 Mjup, Rp = 1.030 Rjup and e = 0.021, making this object a new example of a growing population of transiting warm giant planets.

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An M dwarf accompanied by a close-in giant orbiter with SPECULOOS

In the last decade, a dozen close-in giant planets have been discovered orbiting stars with spectral types ranging from M0 to M4, a mystery since known formation pathways do not predict the existence of such systems. Here, we confirm TOI-4860 b, a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting an M4.5 host, a star at the transition between fully and partially convective interiors. First identified with TESS data, we validate the transiting companion's planetary nature through multicolour photometry from the TRAPPIST-South/North, SPECULOOS, and MuSCAT3 facilities. Our analysis yields a radius of $0.76 \pm 0.02~ \rm R_{Jup}$ for the planet, a mass of $0.34~\rm M_\odot$ for the star, and an orbital period of 1.52 d. Using the newly commissioned SPIRIT InGaAs camera at the SPECULOOS-South Observatory, we collect infrared photometry in zYJ that spans the time of secondary eclipse. These observations do not detect a secondary eclipse, placing an upper limit on the brightness of the companion. The planetary nature of the companion is further confirmed through high-resolution spectroscopy obtained with the IRD spectrograph at Subaru Telescope, from which we measure a mass of $0.67 \pm 0.14~\rm M_{Jup}$ . Based on its overall density, TOI-4860 b appears to be rich in heavy elements, like its host star.

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TESS and CHEOPS Discover Two Warm Sub-Neptunes Transiting the Bright K-dwarf HD 15906

We report the discovery of two warm sub-Neptunes transiting the bright (G = 9.5 mag) K-dwarf HD 15906 (TOI 461, TIC 4646810). This star was observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) in sectors 4 and 31, revealing two small transiting planets. The inner planet, HD 15906 b, was detected with an unambiguous period but the outer planet, HD 15906 c, showed only two transits separated by $\sim$ 734 days, leading to 36 possible values of its period. We performed follow-up observations with the CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) to confirm the true period of HD 15906 c and improve the radius precision of the two planets. From TESS, CHEOPS and additional ground-based photometry, we find that HD 15906 b has a radius of 2.24 $\pm$ 0.08 R$_\oplus$ and a period of 10.924709 $\pm$ 0.000032 days, whilst HD 15906 c has a radius of 2.93$^{+0.07}_{-0.06}$ R$_\oplus$ and a period of 21.583298$^{+0.000052}_{-0.000055}$ days. Assuming zero bond albedo and full day-night heat redistribution, the inner and outer planet have equilibrium temperatures of 668 $\pm$ 13 K and 532 $\pm$ 10 K, respectively. The HD 15906 system has become one of only six multiplanet systems with two warm ($\lesssim$ 700 K) sub-Neptune sized planets transiting a bright star (G $\leq$ 10 mag). It is an excellent target for detailed characterisation studies to constrain the composition of sub-Neptune planets and test theories of planet formation and evolution.

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A 1.55 R$_{\oplus}$ habitable-zone planet hosted by TOI-715, an M4 star near the ecliptic South Pole

A new generation of observatories is enabling detailed study of exoplanetary atmospheres and the diversity of alien climates, allowing us to seek evidence for extraterrestrial biological and geological processes. Now is therefore the time to identify the most unique planets to be characterised with these instruments. In this context, we report on the discovery and validation of TOI-715 b, a $R_{\rm b}=1.55\pm 0.06\rm R_{\oplus}$ planet orbiting its nearby ($42$ pc) M4 host (TOI-715/TIC 271971130) with a period $P_{\rm b} = 19.288004_{-0.000024}^{+0.000027}$ days. TOI-715 b was first identified by TESS and validated using ground-based photometry, high-resolution imaging and statistical validation. The planet's orbital period combined with the stellar effective temperature $T_{\rm eff}=3075\pm75~\rm K$ give this planet an instellation $S_{\rm b} = 0.67_{-0.20}^{+0.15}~\rm S_\oplus$, placing it within the most conservative definitions of the habitable zone for rocky planets. TOI-715 b's radius falls exactly between two measured locations of the M-dwarf radius valley; characterising its mass and composition will help understand the true nature of the radius valley for low-mass stars. We demonstrate TOI-715 b is amenable for characterisation using precise radial velocities and transmission spectroscopy. Additionally, we reveal a second candidate planet in the system, TIC 271971130.02, with a potential orbital period of $P_{02} = 25.60712_{-0.00036}^{+0.00031}$ days and a radius of $R_{02} = 1.066\pm0.092\,\rm R_{\oplus}$, just inside the outer boundary of the habitable zone, and near a 4:3 orbital period commensurability. Should this second planet be confirmed, it would represent the smallest habitable zone planet discovered by TESS to date.

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S-ACF: A selective estimator for the autocorrelation function of irregularly sampled time series

We present a generalised estimator for the autocorrelation function, S-ACF, which is an extended version of the standard estimator of the autocorrelation function (ACF). S-ACF is a versatile definition that can robustly and efficiently extract periodicity and signal shape information from a time series, independent of the time sampling and with minimal assumptions about the underlying process. Calculating the autocorrelation of irregularly sampled time series becomes possible by generalising the lag of the standard estimator of the ACF to a real parameter and introducing the notion of selection and weight functions. We show that the S-ACF reduces to the standard ACF estimator for regularly sampled time series. Using a large number of synthetic time series we demonstrate that the performance of the S-ACF is as good or better than commonly used Gaussian and rectangular kernel estimators, and is comparable to a combination of interpolation and the standard estimator. We apply the S-ACF to astrophysical data by extracting rotation periods for the spotted star KIC 5110407, and compare our results to Gaussian process (GP) regression and Lomb-Scargle (LS) periodograms. We find that the S-ACF periods typically agree better with those from GP regression than from LS periodograms, especially in cases where there is evolution in the signal shape. The S-ACF has a wide range of potential applications and should be useful in quantitative science disciplines where irregularly sampled time series occur. A Python implementation of the S-ACF is available under the MIT license.

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