High school students hailed as ‘youngest ever astronauts’ find four light 200-year-old exoplanets using the location-based TESS
- Kartik Pinglé, 16, and Jasmine Wright, 18, discovered four new exoplanets
- The pair used the TESS satellite to look at a star similar to the light 200-year-old sun away
- Three of the planets are sub-Neptunes and the other is super-Earth
Two high school students have identified four new exoplanets about 200-light-years from Earth, seeing as ‘the youngest astronauts’ of such a discovery.
Kartik Pinglé, 16, and Jasmine Wright, 18, both participated to schools in Massachusetts, participating in the Student Research Counseling Program (SRMP) at the Astrophysics Center | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA).
With the help of Tansu Daylan, postdoc at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, the students analyzed and analyzed data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
Together they focused on Tess Object of Interest (TOI) 1233, a bright sun-like star and here they found four planets orbiting the star.
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Two high school students have identified four new exoplanets about 200-light-years from Earth, seeing as ‘the youngest astronauts’ of such a discovery. Kartik Pinglé (left), 16, and Jasmine Wright (right), 18, both attend schools in Massachusetts
‘We were looking to see changes in light over time,’ Pinglé explained. The idea is that if the planet crossed the star, or passed in front of it, it would do so. [periodically] cover up the star and reduce its brightness. ‘
TESS is a space-based satellite, which has found more than 20,000 moving over exoplanets – some of which could be super-lands located in the arable zone.
While attempting 1233, Pinglé and Wright at least hoped to find one planet, but were overwhelmed with joy when a total of four were seen.
‘I was excited and horrified,’ Wright said. ‘We knew this was the aim of the Daylan study, but it was really interesting to find a multi-currency system, and to be part of the team to find out.’
Together they focused on Tess Object of Interest (TOI) 1233, a bright sun-like star and here they found four planets orbiting the star. Three of the recently discovered planets are considered ‘sub-Neptunes’ and the fourth is considered ‘super-Earth’ (artist’s point of view)
Three of the recently discovered planets are considered ‘sub-Neptunes,’ which are gaseous, but smaller to the Neptune that inhabits our solar system.
While observing the planets, the team determined that each completes orbit around 1233 every six to 19.5 days.
However, the fourth planet is marked ‘super-Earth’ for its size and rocky size – this one orbits the star in just under four days.
‘Our species has long been considering planets outside of our solar system and with multi-planet systems, you are very much like hitting the jackpot,’ said Dylan.
‘The planets came from the same disk of matter around the same star, but they became different planets with different atmospheres and climates because of their different orbits. Therefore, we would like to understand the basic processes in planet creation and evolution using this planetary system. ‘
TESS is a space-based satellite, which has found more than 20,000 moving over exoplanets – some of which may be super-lands located in the arable zone
Daylan said working with Pinglé and Wright on the study was a ‘win-win’.
‘As a researcher, I enjoy interacting with young brains that are open to experimentation and learning and have little prejudice,’ he said.
‘I also think it’s very beneficial for high school students, as they gain advanced research experience and this quickly prepares them for a research career.’