TESS just found a planet in a new way—and more may be hiding in its eight years of data
NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite has identified a new exoplanet using microlensing, a method outside its primary mission profile.
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The brief
The TESS mission has successfully identified a distant planetary system by utilizing microlensing. This discovery marks the first time the satellite has employed this specific detection technique to locate an exoplanet.
Coverage from NASA Science, Phys.org, and heise online emphasizes that the satellite's eight-year dataset may contain additional undetected celestial bodies. According to reports from WION, there are approximately 8,000 candidate exoplanets potentially hidden within the existing TESS archives.
Researchers from institutions including Texas Tech University are now analyzing the backlog of mission data to identify further discoveries. Future updates will depend on whether this microlensing approach continues to yield confirmed planetary candidates as scientists review the mission's extensive data collection.
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Quick answers
What method did TESS use to find the new planet?
The satellite utilized microlensing, a detection method not typically used as its primary search tool.
How many candidate exoplanets are mentioned in reports?
Coverage indicates that there are 8,000 candidate exoplanets currently identified within the eight years of mission data.
Who is involved in the research?
NASA and researchers, including physicists from Texas Tech University, are involved in the identification and confirmation process.
Coverage (7)
- Artist’s concept visualizes Gaia23bra b, (IMAGE) EurekAlert! · 1d ago
- Search for Earth twin: TESS finds exoplanet via microlensing for the first time heise online · 1d ago
- Texas Tech Researcher Part of Team That Finds Planet in New Way Texas Tech University · 1d ago
- Texas Tech physicist helps confirm distant ‘super Jupiter’ using NASA satellite in new way fox34.com · 1d ago
- '8,000 candidate exoplanets': NASA's TESS is hiding mind-boggling space secrets in its 8-year data WION · 1d ago
- NASA’s TESS Mission Finds Planetary System in New Way NASA Science (.gov) · 1d ago
- TESS just found a planet in a new way—and more may be hiding in its eight years of data Phys.org · 1d ago
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