NASA’s Tess Mission found Six planet system perfectly tuned
NASA’s Tess Mission found Six planet
system perfectly tuned
The planetary trove within the HD 110067 system
presents a unique opportunity to explore the enigmatic class of
"mini-Neptunes," absent in our Solar System. These planets, orbiting
an orange star 100 light-years away, were initially discovered by NASA's TESS
mission. Two inner planets, b and c, exhibited a resonant orbital relationship
with periods in a 2:3 ratio.
Upon detecting unattributed transits and considering the resonant
orbits of b and c, researchers speculated the presence of a third planet, d, in
a 2:3 orbital resonance with planet c. Utilizing this hypothesis, they
successfully predicted and confirmed the existence of planet d using the
European Space Agency's CHEOPS telescope.
From the orbital period of planet d, a fourth planet, e, was
predicted and subsequently observed with a 2:3 resonance to planet d. Laplace
angles, inspired by the work of mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace, played a
crucial role in explaining perturbations and maintaining stable orbit
configurations. This analysis revealed planets f and g, completing the system
with a 3:4 orbital resonance.
The potential for additional planets within the habitable zone of
HD 110067 remains, but TESS and CHEOPS have yet to record corresponding
transits. A "blind search" for more planets poses challenges due to
limited observing resources.
Future work involves refining the known planets' parameters, dependent
on measuring their masses. Current data, obtained for planets b, d, and f,
indicate sizes ranging from 1.9 to 2.85 Earth radii. Obtaining masses for the
remaining planets is challenging, particularly due to stellar activity masking
radial velocity signals.
Despite uncertainties, the resonant orbits of these planets
challenge conventional theories, suggesting they formed and persisted in stable
configurations. HD 110067 offers a glimpse into a potentially ancient planetary
system, preserving its initial formation configuration over time. The study's
details can be found in the journal Nature.

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