Astronomers Have Made A Groundbreaking Discovery, Identifying Exoplanets With

A recent study, reported by Universe Today, has statistically validated five transiting planets orbiting M-dwarf stars, assessing their ability to retain gaseous envelopes. The research, which focused on planets discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), confirmed the existence of these planets through extensive follow-up observations. The study highlights two planets, TOI-5716 b and TOI-5728 b, whose sizes, orbital periods, and radiation environments make them ideal candidates for atmospheric detection.

These planets offer measurable cases for current observatories, including the James Webb Space Telescope, to attempt atmospheric detection using established observational methods. The discovery of these planets was made possible by TESS, which detected periodic dimming signals in the stellar light curves of the host stars.

The signals, known as TESS Object of Interest alerts, served as a starting point for further observations. A network of at least nine telescopes, including the Keck II Observatory and the Hale Telescope, were used to confirm the existence of the planets. The follow-up observations included transit photometry, high-resolution imaging, and stellar spectroscopy.