TESS and Its Groundbreaking Discoveries

TESS, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, has gained attention once again for its groundbreaking discoveries in the hunt for exoplanets since its launch in April 2018. The latest revelation is an extraordinary triple star system that’s raising eyebrows within the astronomical community. This unique system consists of two stars that orbit each other every 1.8 days, while a third star dances around them every 25 days. Astonishingly, this entire celestial arrangement fits comfortably within Mercury's orbit, with some room to spare!

A Cosmic Configuration

To the untrained eye, this cosmic configuration appears as a single point of light, yet TESS's advanced technology has succeeded in detecting the intricate flickering caused by their orbits crossing our line of sight. This discovery not only highlights the remarkable capabilities of TESS but foreshadows a dramatic fate: the two inner stars are set to merge in the future, potentially culminating in a spectacular supernova event!

Understanding Exoplanets

Exoplanets—planets that orbit stars outside our Solar System—come in a variety of sizes and compositions, ranging from gas giants larger than Jupiter to smaller, rocky planets akin to Earth. The hunt for these alien worlds employs various techniques, including the transit method and the radial velocity method, allowing astronomers to identify over 5,000 exoplanets to date.

The Role of TESS

TESS was designed specifically to detect exoplanets by focusing on tiny dips in brightness when a planet transits in front of its host star. By monitoring more than 200,000 stars, TESS has concentrated its efforts on locating Earth-sized planets within habitable zones, where conditions might support liquid water and possibly life.

Collaboration and Discovery

In an unprecedented twist, a collaboration of professional and amateur astronomers has joined forces with artificial intelligence to unravel the secrets of an enigmatic new multiple star system, designated TIC 290061484. This discovery not only breaks the existing record for the shortest outer orbital period of a stellar system—which was previously set in 1956 by eight days—but also opens new avenues for understanding the dynamics of stellar interactions.

Detailed Analysis of TIC 290061484

The alignment of TIC 290061484 is perfectly positioned for detailed analysis. By monitoring the movement and brightness shifts of the stars, researchers can successfully deduce their orbits, masses, sizes, and temperatures. The findings were published by a team led by Veselin Kostov from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in the esteemed Astrophysical Journal.

The Power of AI in Astronomy

Using TESS’s sensitivity to detect subtle flickering and brightness changes, the true nature of this triple star system was uncovered, located in the Cygnus constellation, approximately 5,000 light-years from Earth. With the aid of AI and machine learning, the team sifted through massive datasets to pinpoint dimming events caused by transits rather than atmospheric interference.

Citizen Scientists in Action

Additionally, citizen scientists known as "The Planet Hunters," who joined the exoplanet hunt in 2010, played a crucial role in analyzing the data. They later combined forces with professional astronomers as "The Visual Survey Group," lending their eyes to assess survey results. Together, they developed a predictive model for the system and even speculated that within 20 to 40 million years, these inner stars will ignite in a supernova explosion.

Looking Ahead

As the quest for knowledge continues, astronomers are now on the lookout for more tightly knit multiple star systems. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (NGRST) is set to elevate this search. With its higher resolution capabilities—offering an astounding 36,000 pixels compared to TESS's 1—NGRST promises to unveil new insights into our galaxy's treasures.

Stay tuned as we journey deeper into the cosmos, following the trail of these stellar phenomena! Who knows what other breathtaking discoveries lie in wait?