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Space Exploration

New Habitable Zone Planet Discovered in Unique Star System

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New Habitable Zone Planet Discovered in Unique Star System

New Habitable Zone Planet Discovered in Unique Star System

A Neptune-like planet has been discovered in the habitable zone of a binary star system, thanks to the efforts of citizen scientists. This discovery sheds light on planetary formation and stability in multi-star systems.

Summary

  • A Neptune-like planet, TOI 4633 c, was discovered in a binary star system’s habitable zone.
  • Citizen scientists played a crucial role in detecting this planet using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
  • The newly found planet has an exceptionally long orbit of 272 days.
  • The system also possibly hosts another exoplanet and is orbited by a second star.
  • This discovery provides valuable insights into planetary formation and stability within multi-star systems.
  • The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal on April 30, 2024.
  • Follow-up observations revealed more peculiarities about the system, including the potential for a second planet and a binary star system.
  • The study highlights the significant contributions of citizen scientists in identifying long-orbit exoplanets.

Discovery of TOI 4633 c

The discovery of TOI 4633 c marks a significant milestone in the field of astronomy, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts between professional scientists and citizen scientists. The Neptune-like exoplanet was identified through the transit method, where the planet crosses in front of its host star, causing a temporary dimming of the star’s light.

The transit method is typically used to identify planets with tight orbits, as they frequently pass between Earth and their host star, blocking light more often. However, TOI 4633 c is unusual due to its long orbit of 272 days. This makes it one of the few long-orbit planets discovered using TESS data.

The discovery of a planet in the habitable zone of a binary star system provides valuable data for understanding planetary formation and stability in multi-star systems. According to Nora Eisner, the lead author of the study and a research fellow at the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Astrophysics, “Finding planets in multi-star systems is crucial for our understanding of how you can make different planets out of the same material.”

Role of Citizen Scientists

Citizen scientists played an instrumental role in the discovery of TOI 4633 c. The planet was first identified by volunteers who sifted through data collected by NASA’s TESS. The Planet Hunters TESS program allows anyone with an internet connection to search for undiscovered planets in the TESS data.

Simon Bentzen, a Danish citizen scientist, expressed his excitement about the discovery: “Every time I spot a possible transit, I can feel my heart beat faster and my excitement rise extensively. I’m very happy that I helped find the new system. I hope that the new planets can help contribute to our understanding of planet formation and help answer other interesting planetary questions.”

New Habitable Zone Planet Discovered in Unique Star System
This infographic shows new discoveries. These are about a system with many stars and planets. Credit goes to Lucy Reading-Ikkanda and the Simons Foundation.

Advanced Observations and Follow-Up Studies

After the initial identification by citizen scientists, a follow-up study was conducted by Eisner and her team. This involved analyzing the star’s radial velocity to detect tiny wobbles caused by the gravitational tug of nearby companions.

The follow-up study revealed that what was initially thought to be a single star is actually a pair of binary stars. These stars are currently too close to be distinguished individually from Earth, but archival observations over the past 119 years confirmed the binary nature of the system.

The study also indicated the presence of a potential second planet with a 34-day orbit. The new exoplanet, TOI 4633 c, has the second-longest orbit of any planet discovered with TESS data and is one of only five with orbits longer than 100 days.

Implications for Future Research

The discovery of TOI 4633 c opens new avenues for research into planetary formation and stability in multi-star systems. The brightness of the host star and the long orbit of the planet make this system an ideal target for future exomoon detection campaigns.

Eisner suggests that TOI 4633 c may have satellites or moons, which could offer solid surfaces for life to take hold. “If this planet were to have a moon, that moon would likely have a solid surface, which could then be a great place to find water,” she explains.

Determining the exact layout of the stellar system will take at least 30 years, as the two stars need to move farther apart. Confirming whether the planets orbit the same star or different ones could significantly enhance our understanding of how such systems remain stable over time.

Conclusion

The discovery of TOI 4633 c in the habitable zone of a binary star system underscores the valuable contributions of citizen scientists to the field of astronomy. This finding provides crucial insights into planetary formation and stability in multi-star systems and highlights the potential for future discoveries in similar systems.

References

Hashtags:

#ExoplanetDiscovery, #CitizenScience, #BinaryStarSystem, #TOI4633c, #PlanetHunters, #Astronomy, #TESS, #HabitableZone, #NeptuneLikePlanet, #ExomoonDetection

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Earth Observation Satellites

Hubble Accidentally Finds More Than a Thousand Asteroids

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Hubble Accidentally Finds More Than a Thousand Asteroids

Hubble Accidentally Finds More Than a Thousand Asteroids

Key Takeaway

Hubble Space Telescope’s archival data, combined with citizen science and machine learning, has uncovered over a thousand previously unknown asteroids, shedding light on the formation of our solar system.

Summary

  • An international team of citizen scientists, astronomers from ESA, NASA, and universities, along with machine learning algorithms, analyzed archival data from the Hubble Space Telescope.
  • They discovered over 1,000 previously uncatalogued asteroids, with around 400 being smaller than 1 km in size.
  • Asteroids leave curved trails in Hubble’s images due to their motion relative to Hubble’s changing position as it orbits Earth.
  • Studying the orbits and properties of these asteroids can help test theories about the formation and evolution of the main asteroid belt.
  • One theory suggests small asteroids are fragments of larger ones that have collided and ground down over billions of years.
  • Another theory proposes small asteroids formed as they appear today and have not changed much since the formation of the Solar System.
  • The study provides insights into the largely unseen population of very small asteroids in the main belt.
  • This citizen science approach, combined with machine learning, can be applied to datasets from other asteroid-hunting observatories like Spitzer, SOFIA, and potentially the James Webb Space Telescope in the future.
  • The team plans to further characterize the orbits, rotation periods, and other properties of these newly discovered asteroids.
Hubble Accidentally Finds More Than a Thousand Asteroids
This graph uses data from the Hubble Space Telescope archives. It was created to show a population of very small asteroids that are mostly unseen.

Hubble’s Accidental Asteroid Discoveries

The Hubble Space Telescope has once again proven its worth as a scientific powerhouse, even after more than three decades in operation. In a remarkable feat, an international team of citizen scientists, astronomers from ESA, NASA, and other institutions, along with the aid of machine learning algorithms, has uncovered over a thousand previously unknown asteroids hiding in Hubble’s archival data.

Hubble was meant to study far-off galaxies and cosmic objects. But, it accidentally also took pictures of asteroids. These asteroids appeared as curved trails in Hubble’s images because they were moving around the Sun. They unexpectedly appeared in the telescope’s view. This gave astronomers a chance to learn about the Main Asteroid Belt. This belt is an area with many asteroids, located between Mars and Jupiter.

Among the newly discovered asteroids, a significant number – around 400 – measure less than 1 kilometer in size. This remarkable dataset offers an invaluable glimpse into the formation and evolution of our solar system. Two competing theories have long been debated by astronomers: did these small asteroids form as they appear today billions of years ago, or are they fragments of larger asteroids that have been colliding and grinding each other down over eons?

The data collected from Hubble’s accidental asteroid discoveries could help shed light on this enigma, providing crucial insights into the processes that shaped the early solar system.

This project succeeds due to great teamwork between volunteers and advanced machine learning. The Hubble Asteroid Hunter project started in 2019. It attracted more than 11,000 volunteers. These volunteers carefully reviewed 37,000 Hubble images from almost 20 years. Their hard work offered the data needed for machine learning algorithms. These algorithms can now spot asteroid trails very accurately. This new method has revealed hidden asteroids in Hubble’s archives. It also opens doors for more discoveries in astronomy.

This study introduces new breakthrough methods in finding and analyzing asteroids. It combines citizen science with machine learning. This allows astronomers to examine large amounts of data. They look at data from observatories like NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). They might also use data from the James Webb Space Telescope.

Hubble Accidentally Finds More Than a Thousand Asteroids
The Hubble captured an image of UGC 12158, a barred spiral galaxy. There are streaks in the image. These streaks were caused by asteroids passing by, essentially photobombing the galaxy.

As the next step, the research team plans to analyze the orbits, rotation periods, and other properties of the newly discovered asteroids, further expanding our understanding of these enigmatic celestial bodies.

Hubble’s accidental asteroid discoveries serve as a testament to the enduring scientific value of the telescope and the ingenuity of researchers in extracting every bit of knowledge from its data. By harnessing the collective power of citizen scientists and cutting-edge technology, astronomers have unlocked a treasure trove of information that will undoubtedly shape our comprehension of the solar system’s origins and evolution.

As Hubble travels through space, we can look forward to unexpected discoveries and major breakthroughs. These will strengthen its reputation as one of our era’s most important scientific tools.

HASHTAGS:

#HubbleSpaceTelescope, #Asteroids, #CitizenScience, #MachineLearning, #SolarSystem, #SpaceExploration, #Astronomy, #AsteroidBelt, #DataScience, #ScientificDiscoveries

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