NASA TESS uncovers over 25 potential exoplanets in binary systems

NASA's TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) has identified more than 25 candidate exoplanets orbiting binary star systems, where two stars orbit each other. This breakthrough was achieved by analyzing the timing of their mutual eclipses, a technique that reveals planets that traditional transit methods might miss.

To date, TESS has confirmed 885 exoplanets and found over 7,900 candidates, mostly through the detection of transits—small dips in a star's brightness when a planet crosses in front of it. The satellite also observes thousands of eclipsing binary stars, where the stars periodically block each other's light, and these events can be influenced by unseen planets.

Studying the timing of stellar eclipses allows us to detect planets that don't produce observable transits, broadening our understanding of planetary systems.

The research, published in May in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, shows that gravitational interactions, rotation, and the presence of hidden masses can cause the orbital plane of the binary to precess. These shifts in the orbit's orientation help identify planets indirectly, even if they don't transit the stars from our viewpoint.

Understanding how planets are oriented in binary systems provides clues about their formation. Some models suggest planets form near the orbital plane of the stars, increasing transit chances, while others propose a more chaotic process, resulting in tilted orbits less likely to produce transits.

This innovative approach opens new pathways for discovering worlds in complex stellar environments, where star interactions previously limited detection methods.