By: April Carson
Do We Live in an Unusual Star System?
For years, astronomers have pondered whether our Solar System is unique compared to the myriad of stars and their accompanying planets scattered across the galaxy. Recently, they have made significant strides towards resolving this cosmic mystery.
An international team of planet-hunting astronomers dedicated three years to analyzing thousands of measurements, culminating in the calculation of masses for 120 confirmed exoplanets and six candidate planets distributed across the northern sky. The results are compiled in an extensive catalog, highlighting the bizarre and exotic nature of these alien worlds and how they compare to our own star system. The findings are detailed in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement.
Utilizing NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) in collaboration with the W.M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawai’i, the newly released catalog showcases a diverse array of planets orbiting different types of stars. “With this information, we can begin to answer questions about where our Solar System fits into the grand tapestry of other planetary systems,” Stephen Kane, an astrophysicist at the University of California, Riverside and the principal investigator of the TESS-Keck Survey, remarked in a statement.
Bizarre and Exotic Worlds
One of the standout oddities in the catalog is a sub-Neptune with an unusually high density, making it both extremely massive and surprisingly small. Designated TOI-1824 b, this exoplanet is nearly 19 times the mass of Earth but only 2.6 times its size, suggesting it holds a significant amount of mass in a tightly-squeezed body. “Planets of similar size typically have a mass between roughly 6 and 12 times that of Earth,” explained Joseph Murphy, a graduate student at UC Santa Cruz and co-author of the study. This "exoplanet oddity," as Murphy refers to it, might have an Earth-like core surrounded by a thin, hydrogen-dominated atmosphere or a water-rich core beneath a steam atmosphere.
Another extreme example is a super-Earth that orbits its host star in less than 12 hours. Known as TOI-1798 c, this planet orbits an orange dwarf star alongside another planet, TOI-1798 b, a sub-Neptune with an eight-day orbit. “While the majority of planets we know about today orbit their star faster than Mercury orbits the Sun, USPs [ultra-short periods] take this to the extreme,” said Alex Polanski, a University of Kansas Physics and Astronomy graduate student and lead author of the paper. “TOI-1798 c orbits its star so quickly that one year on this planet lasts less than half a day on Earth.” Due to its extreme proximity to its star, the super-Earth has likely lost any atmosphere it initially formed.
New Discoveries and Ongoing Debates
The astronomers also discovered two new planets orbiting a star similar to our Sun. One of these planets, TOI-1386 b, is a sub-Saturn with a mass and radius somewhere between those of Neptune and Saturn. TOI-1386 b takes only 26 days to orbit its star, while its neighboring planet, with a mass close to Saturn's, takes 227 days to complete an orbit. “There is ongoing debate about whether sub-Saturn planets are truly rare, or if we are just bad at finding planets like these,” said Michelle Hill, a UCR graduate student and lead author of a related survey paper. “So, this planet, TOI-1386 b, is an important addition to this demographic of planets.”
The Doppler Effect in Exoplanet Detection
While the planets themselves are not directly visible, they have a discernible impact on their host stars. As they orbit, the planets exert gravitational tugs on their stars, causing the stars to wobble. Astronomers detect these wobbles by observing shifts in the stars' visible light—turning slightly bluer as they move towards a telescope and slightly redder as they move away. This phenomenon, known as the Doppler effect, helps astronomers infer the presence and characteristics of these distant worlds.
The release of this extensive catalog marks a significant step forward in our understanding of the universe. As we continue to explore and analyze these bizarre alien worlds, we may come closer to understanding how unique—or not—our own Solar System truly is.
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About the Blogger:
April Carson is a remarkable individual whose life has been shaped by her determination, dedication, and unwavering passion for both education and sports. Born as the daughter of Billy Carson, she embarked on a journey that would lead her to outstanding achievements and a profound impact on her community.
April's academic journey commenced at Jacksonville University, where she pursued her love for the Social Sciences. She quickly distinguished herself as a diligent student, displaying an insatiable curiosity for understanding the world around her. Her commitment to her studies was matched only by her desire to make a difference in her chosen field.
While her academic pursuits were certainly impressive, it was April's involvement in sports that truly set her apart. She was not just a student at Jacksonville University; she was also a vital member of the Women's Basketball team. On the court, April's dedication and talent were evident for all to see. She exhibited leadership, teamwork, and a relentless drive to excel, qualities that would become hallmarks of her personality both on and off the court.
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