NASA’s Planet Hunter’s Rare Glimpse at Two Black Holes in a Faraway Galaxy
NASA’s TESS satellite helped confirm the theory of two black holes in galaxy OJ 287 in 2021, enhancing our knowledge of black holes and their…
TESS News
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a NASA-led space telescope launched in April 2018, designed specifically for discovering exoplanets using the transit method. This method detects distant planets by measuring the slight dimming of a star’s light as a planet passes in front of it. TESS’s mission focuses on stars closer to Earth, enhancing the potential for detailed follow-up observations by other telescopes. Equipped with four advanced cameras, TESS surveys over 85% of the sky, aiming to identify thousands of exoplanet candidates ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants, around a diverse array of stellar types. This mission builds on the legacy of the Kepler mission, but with a broader scope and improved technology to provide a comprehensive map of the nearby exoplanetary systems.
Eccentric Oddities: Surprise Discovery of Mysterious Mini-Neptune Exoplanets
Researchers discovered four mini-Neptunes with volatile-rich compositions around red dwarfs, using both space and ground-based telescopes. Researchers discovered mini-Neptunes[1] around four red dwarfs[2], which are…
Extreme Exoplanet Discovered: Fiery Red Planet Rages With Intense Volcanic Activity
An astrophysicist discovered a fiery red exoplanet with intense volcanic activity, influenced by tidal forces similar to those affecting Jupiter’s moon Io. UC Riverside astrophysicist…
NASA’s TESS Discovers a “Cold Saturn” With a Long Year
Two giant planets, TOI-4600 b and c, located 700 light-years away, have been discovered orbiting a sun-like star, filling a gap in our understanding of…
NASA Discovery Alert: A “Super-Earth” in the Habitable Zone Only 137 Light-Years Away
A new super-Earth, TOI-715 b, found 137 light-years away could harbor conditions for life, orbiting within the habitable zone of a red dwarf star. A…
Exoplanet Evolution Unveiled in a Distant Solar System
Researchers have unveiled a solar system with up to seven exoplanets around TOI-1136, employing advanced methodologies for precise measurements of their characteristics, which could significantly…
Cosmic Choreography: Unraveling the 6-Planet Resonance Mystery
Researchers led by Rafael Luque discovered six planets in a rare gravitational resonance around a smaller, cooler star. This unique arrangement, stable since the system’s…
Astronomers Uncover Exoplanet With an Unprecedented Orbit
Using TESS, scientists identified two long-period exoplanets, TOI-4600 b and c. These discoveries open new research avenues in understanding exoplanets, and the findings emphasize the…
Beyond Hot Jupiters: TESS Discovers Longest-Orbit Exoplanet Yet
The frosty gas giant was discovered in a system that also hosts a warm Jupiter. Of the over 5,000 planets known to exist beyond our…
Strange Neptune-Sized Planet Is Denser Than Steel – May Be Result of a Giant Planetary Clash
New Giant Planet Is Evidence of Possible Planetary Collisions A Neptune-sized planet denser than steel has been discovered by an international team of astronomers, who…
Earth-Sized Exoplanet With Fiery Volcanoes Discovered in Habitable Zone
The planet, named LP 791-18 d, was located and observed using data from NASA’s Tess satellite and the Spitzer Space Telescope. A team of scientists…
Volcano World: Earth-Size Planet Discovered by Astronomers May Be Carpeted With Volcanoes
Astronomers have discovered an Earth-sized exoplanet, LP 791-18 d, believed to be highly volcanic. The planet’s volcanic activity could sustain an atmosphere potentially allowing for…
Astronomers Discover Bizarre “Forbidden” Planet That Should Not Exist
“Forbidden” Planet Orbiting Small Star Challenges Gas Giant Formation Theories Based on our current understanding of planet formation, TOI-5205b should not exist; it is a…
NASA Planet Hunter Discovers Second Habitable, Earth-Size World in TOI 700 System
The newly discovered planet and its Earth-size sibling are both in the habitable zone, where liquid water could potentially exist on their surfaces. Using data…
NASA’s Planet Hunter TESS Resumes Normal Operations
On Thursday, October 13, at around 6:30 p.m. EDT NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey (TESS) began its return to normal operations. Engineers successfully powered up the…
NASA’s Planet Hunter TESS Goes Into Safe Mode – What We Know at This Time
NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) entered into safe mode on Monday, October 10. The spacecraft is in a stable configuration that suspends science observations….
Astronomers Discover a Nearby Multiplanet System With Two Earth-Sized Planets
Located just 33 light years from Earth, the system appears to host two rocky, Earth-sized planets. A new multiplanet system within our galactic neighborhood has…
30 Exocomets Discovered in a Young Planetary System
For the past thirty years, astronomers have been fascinated with the star ß Pictoris because it allows them to observe a young planetary system in…