NASA detects 6 exoplanets around a ‘misbehaving’ star

According to a new study published in the scientific journal The Astronomical Journal, A team of astronomers has detected a system of six exoplanets orbiting the dwarf star TOI-1136, located about 270 light-years from Earth. — are actually analyzing more data to confirm the possible existence of a seventh exoplanet from the same group.

According to the press release, this is a continuation of space region observations carried out by the same team in 2019. Using data from the Transiting Exoplanet Search Satellite (TESS) and some telescopes, scientists found exoplanets by detecting changes in stellar motion through redshift.

In this way, it was possible to determine some properties of planets, such as their mass, with extremely precise measurements. Researchers’ goal is to use the information collected to help science understand the formation and evolution of planets.

While six exoplanets have already been confirmed, astronomers are studying a possible seventh planet dancing around the ‘misbehaving’ young star. According to the study, six planets named TOI-1136 ba TOI-1136 g can be classified as sub-Neptunian — This means they are larger than rocky planets like Earth, but smaller than giants Neptune and Uranus..

“We see TOI-1136 as quite advantageous from a research perspective because when a system has more than one exoplanet, we can control for the effects of planetary evolution that are dependent on the host star, and this helps us focus on the mechanisms by which individual physicists have caused these planets to have the properties that they do.” ” said one of the study’s authors, Paul Robertson, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, USA.

TESS and 6 outer planets

The measurements were only this precise thanks to computational models developed to analyze hundreds of data points.. According to Corey Beard, lead author of the study, it took a lot of trial and error for the models to produce quality data and allow scientists to understand the different properties of exoplanets.

The smallest of the six exoplanets are about twice the size of our planet, while some are four times the size of Earth. In total, cosmic objects orbit their parent star in 88 days, meaning they have an orbital period similar to that of Mercury.

About young ‘malignant’ star; May be difficult to observe due to its magnetism, sunspots, and intense eruptions — such objects are considered ‘badly behaved’ because they are so active.

“I am proud that both UCO’s Lick Observatory and the Keck Observatory have been involved in characterizing a truly important system. Having many medium-sized planets in the same system allows us to really test formation scenarios. I really want to learn more about these planets! Could we find a world of molten rock, a world of water, and a world of ice in the same solar system? It almost seems like science fiction,” said Matthew Shetrone, Deputy Director of the University of California Observatories.

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