TESS space mission exoplanets dimensions and weights determined at Ondřejov Observatory

Exoplanets discovered by TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) space mission were characterized at Astronomical Observatory of ASU CAS in Ondřejov. In the first quarter of 2022, ASU astronomers confirmed the discovery of four new exoplanets. These are gas-giant planets similar to Jupiter and Saturn in Solar system. But that’s where all the similarity ends. All four exoplanets orbit their stars with a period in the order of several days and are very hot. One of the stars is in the red giant evolution stage, two are young stars, and the last one similar to our Sun.

In 2020-2021, the TESS space mission observed four stars designed TOI-1181, TOI-1268, TOI-1516 and TOI-2046. These stars were fount to show small decreases in brightness due to the transitions of probably a planetary companion of the masses in range from Saturn to several Jupiters. The Perek Telescope in Ondřejov (the largest optical telescope in our country) with its OES spectrograph focused on these objects along other observatories in the northern hemisphere. Based on the observations it was possible to determine the exact parameters of stars (temperature, radius) and ind combination with TESS photometric data also precise planetary candidates parameters. Thus it was possible to confirm that these objects are really new planets.

More: ASU official pages (in Czech)

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