Research
Planets Don't Just Disappear, But They Can Wobble Out of Sight if Their Neighbour is Close Enough
Universe Today · By Evan Gough ·
The Brief
- TESS observed a hot Jupiter about 1,000 light years away transiting its star repeatedly over seven years.
- Astronomers were surprised when the planet's transits stopped being seen from Earth.
- According to the source, a neighbouring planet close enough can make a planet wobble out of sight of observers.
Why it matters
Transit surveys assume a planet's transits stay visible; this result shows a nearby companion can make a planet temporarily disappear from view, which matters for interpreting transit data.
Who’s affected
- astronomers using transit photometry
- exoplanet researchers
- #exoplanets
- #tess
- #transits
- #hot jupiter
- #planetary dynamics
TESS watched an exoplanet about 1,000 light years away as it repeatedly transited in front of its star for seven years. But astronomers were surprised to find that the hot Jupiter disappeared. Of course, planets don't just disappear. Something interrupted its transits from our…
Timeline
Universe Today reports the TESS findings on the disappearing hot Jupiter
Universe Today
Planets Don't Just Disappear, But They Can Wobble Out of Sight if Their Neighbour is Close Enough