A team of astronomers, including citizen scientists, have discovered a Neptune-sized planet in a binary star system located approximately 309 light-years away from Earth. Known as TOI 4633 c or Percival, the planet takes 272 days to complete an orbit around its central star. This discovery is unique as it is much farther than typical planets found using the transit method and its star is the brightest known to host a transiting planet in the “habitable” zone.
The details of this unusual system, consisting of two stars and potentially two planets, have been documented in a paper published in the Astrophysical Journal. Lead author Nora Eisner emphasizes the importance of discovering planets in multi-star systems to comprehend the variations in planet formation.
This discovery was made possible with the help of over 43,000 volunteers from 90 countries involved in TESS’s Planet Hunters project. Danish citizen scientist Simon Bentzen expressed his excitement at being part of the team that identified the new system. The assistance of citizen scientists highlights the collaborative effort behind such discoveries.
As researchers continue to study TOI 4633 c and its system, the possibility of finding a moon with a solid surface that could harbor water opens up new avenues for exploration and understanding planet formation.