All articles tagged with #transit timing variations
Reanalysis of old Kepler data revealed that the KOI-134 system, previously thought to have no planets, actually hosts two planets with unusual orbital dynamics, including significant mutual inclination, resonance, and transit timing variations, making it a unique and first-of-its-kind system.
A super-Earth exoplanet named Kepler-735c, orbiting 2,472 light years away, was discovered indirectly through transit timing variations, revealing its highly elliptical orbit and partial habitability due to its changing position relative to its star. This discovery highlights the potential of TTVs to find planets on wider orbits and in habitable zones, expanding our understanding of exoplanets and the search for life.
Researchers have discovered a fourth planet in the Kepler-51 system, known for its three ultra-low density "super-puff" planets, using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. This unexpected finding, revealed through transit timing variations, challenges existing models and raises new questions about the formation and characteristics of these rare planets. The discovery, detailed in the Astronomical Journal, suggests the new planet, Kepler-51e, may have a mass similar to the other planets and follows a circular orbit, though its exact nature remains uncertain.
Research led by an Indiana University astronomer challenges the belief that hot Jupiters, gas giant planets that closely orbit stars outside our solar system, rarely have any nearby companion planets. The study analyzed the full, four-year data set for hot and warm Jupiters from NASA's Kepler Mission and found that at least 12% of hot Jupiters and 70% of warm Jupiters have a nearby planetary companion orbiting their host stars. The findings provide a new framework for explaining the evolution of hot and warm Jupiters and why some have companion planets.