Abstract
We present the quantifiable limits of observation of artificial
megastructures within TESS data. We characterize observability using a
ratio of the in-transit RMS residuals and the out-of-transit RMS
residuals. We measure a percent difference in circularity (a
non-circularity index) by summing the artificial object’s pixels that do
not fall within the pixel area of the planet. We have determined an
observability threshold using our observability index to be O = 3. At
this threshold, given simulated standard TESS noise (gaussian with a
zero mean and standard deviation dependent upon the individual star’s
TESS magnitude), we quantity the non-circularity of an artificial object
in order to be observable.