Modern technology in the field of astronomy has proven that the universe is full of secrets and mysteries. Over the past few years, NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has been steadily discovering new alien worlds in the universe.
Led by researcher Dr. Priyashkumar Mistry and a team of scientists, the telescope conducted these statistics using a statistical method of combing the night sky. According to a Space report, eight new exoplanets have been discovered, each thought to resemble a “super-Earth,” which are planets larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune.
TESS works to monitor nearby stars and monitor their brightness and decreases, and has confirmed the existence of nearly 400 planets outside the solar system, in addition to 6,977 other planets awaiting confirmation. These decreases indicate the presence of astronomical objects that may be new exoplanets.
Speaking to Space, Mistry explains that the VaTEST analytical tool gives them another way to validate these discoveries. By using a variety of data and performing probabilistic calculations, scientists can verify whether these discoveries are indeed exoplanets orbiting the star.
Given the importance of statistical analysis in confirming discoveries, these tools are an essential part of astronomers’ work. It helps them rule out false positives and understand the origins of these declines.
common questions:
What is TESS?
TESS is a satellite that monitors and surveys transiting exoplanets.
How many exoplanets have been discovered?
To date, more than 5,500 exoplanets have been discovered, including the nine new ones discovered by TESS.
How does VaTEST work?
VaTEST uses transit data and other inputs to analyze and confirm the discovery of exoplanets, by calculating the false positive probability.
What is transit?
A transit is a condition when a new planetary body passes between us and a star, causing a decrease in the star’s brightness. This indicates the presence of an exoplanet.
What happens when the discovery of an exoplanet is confirmed?
When the discovery of an exoplanet is confirmed, it is added to the universe’s growing catalog of planets, and its properties are studied and more is learned about it.
