TESS Stories

NASA’s TESS Spots Record-Breaking Stellar Triplets

6 min read

Professional and amateur astronomers teamed up with artificial intelligence to find an unmatched stellar trio called TIC 290061484, thanks to cosmic “strobe lights” captured by NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite). The system contains a set of twin stars orbiting…

Article1 month ago

The image depicts a celestial scene, with a bright, luminous star dominating the background. In the center of the image, a small, dark, rocky planet is seen transiting in front of the star, creating a stark contrast between the bright light of the star and the silhouette of the planet. Surrounding the star and planet, the background is filled with countless tiny stars scattered across the vast expanse of space. The star appears to radiate a soft glow, with a bright halo of light around it, emphasizing the planet's position as it passes in front of the star. The overall scene evokes a sense of the vastness and beauty of the cosmos.

Talented Teams Tackle Toasty Planet

4 min read

Exoplanets, look out! Two NASA-funded teams of amateur astronomers are tracking you with their backyard telescopes. These two teams, called UNITE (UNISTELLAR Network Investigating TESS Exoplanets) and Exoplanet Watch, have combined forces to confirm a new planetary discovery—a toasty “warm Jupiter”. “I pinch myself…

Article2 months ago

Space scene of a thin atmosphere version of Gliese 12 b

NASA’s TESS Finds Intriguing World Sized Between Earth, Venus

5 min read

Using observations by NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) and many other facilities, two international teams of astronomers have discovered a planet between the sizes of Earth and Venus only 40 light-years away. Multiple factors make it a candidate well-suited…

Article5 months ago