Astronomers Confirm Discovery of New Gas Giant Exoplanet TOI-4465 b

Astronomers from the University of New Mexico, in collaboration with various international researchers, have confirmed the existence of a new gas giant exoplanet, designated TOI-4465 b, located approximately 400 light-years from Earth. This groundbreaking discovery, made possible through the active involvement of citizen scientists across the globe, is detailed in a paper published in The Astronomical Journal, with Zahra Essack, Ph.D., serving as lead author and Diana Dragomir, Ph.D., as co-author.

Discovered by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), TOI-4465 b was initially identified through a single-transit event, a brief moment when the planet passed in front of its star. However, verifying its existence required capturing another transit, which occurs every 102 days. "The observational windows are extremely limited. Each transit lasts about 12 hours, but it is incredibly rare to get 12 full hours of dark, clear skies in one location," explained Dr. Essack. The challenge of observing the transit was exacerbated by factors such as weather conditions, telescope availability, and the necessity for continuous observation.

To address these challenges, the research team initiated a coordinated international campaign that included participation from 24 citizen scientists in 10 countries. These amateur astronomers utilized their personal telescopes to gather critical time-sensitive observations, complementing data collected from professional observatories. "The discovery and confirmation of TOI-4465 b not only expands our knowledge of planets in distant star systems but also emphasizes the significant role that enthusiastic astronomy amateurs can play in cutting-edge scientific research," Dr. Essack stated.

In addition to contributions from citizen scientists, professional astronomers—including students—provided supporting photometric observations that tracked changes in the brightness of the star as TOI-4465 b transited. Several key initiatives facilitated this global collaboration, including the TESS Follow-up Observing Program Sub Group 1 (TFOP SG1), the Unistellar Citizen Science Network, and the TESS Single Transit Planet Candidate (TSTPC) Working Group. Dr. Essack noted that the Unistellar network's standardized equipment and data processing protocols significantly enhanced the quality of contributions from citizen scientists, while TFOP SG1 provided a framework for global coordination between professional and amateur astronomers.

TOI-4465 b is an impressive gas giant, boasting a radius approximately 25% larger than that of Jupiter and a mass nearly six times greater. It exhibits a mildly elliptical orbit, resulting in temperatures ranging from 375 to 478 Kelvin (approximately 200 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit). This unique combination of size, mass, density, and temperature represents a rare example of a giant planet within a relatively underexplored range of planetary characteristics. Dr. Essack explained that long-period gas giants like TOI-4465 b serve as vital links between the extreme hot Jupiter exoplanets, which orbit closely to their stars, and the colder gas giants found within our solar system.

This discovery holds significant implications for future astronomical studies, particularly concerning atmospheric analysis. The unique properties of TOI-4465 b make it a strong candidate for observation by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which is capable of conducting emission spectroscopy studies to extract detailed information about the planet's atmosphere. The research paper represents the sixth publication stemming from the Giant Outer Transiting Exoplanet Mass (GOT 'EM) survey, which aims to characterize long-period transiting giant planets through coordinated observations, including both transit and radial velocity measurements. According to Dr. Essack, studying these long-period exoplanets is crucial as they are currently underrepresented in exoplanet catalogs due to the limited observational opportunities and resources available for their detection.

As the field of exoplanet research continues to evolve, the collaboration between professional astronomers and citizen scientists exemplifies the potential for crowd-sourced scientific inquiry to advance our understanding of the universe. The implications of TOI-4465 b's discovery extend beyond the immediate findings, opening new avenues for exploration and inquiry in the realm of planetary science, while highlighting the importance of global cooperation in astronomical research.