TESS data reveals two exoplanets via distinct detection methods

Two new exoplanets have been uncovered from NASA's TESS data, each discovered through a different technique. NGTS-38 b, a super-Jupiter about 8% larger than Jupiter, orbits its star every 180 days—an unusually long period for a transiting exoplanet. Gaia23bra b, another super-Jupiter with 1.6 times Jupiter's mass, was found nearly 40,000 light-years away via gravitational microlensing, an effect rarely used with TESS.

Long-period super-Jupiter

NGTS-38 b was first spotted by TESS on Christmas Day 2020, then confirmed with over 200 nights of follow-up from Chile's NGTS telescopes and radial velocity measurements. Its orbit is lopsided, varying from Mercury-like to Earth-like distances from its star. The planet is cooler than most studied exoplanets, offering a chance to study atmospheric properties at lower temperatures Source: Infobae.

Microlensing surprise

Gaia23bra b emerged from archival TESS data after the European Space Agency's Gaia telescope flagged a brightening event in 2023. TESS's dense temporal coverage revealed a subtle blip in the light curve caused by the planet's gravity. 'When TESS was launched, no one expected it could find this type of planet,' said co-author Diana Dragomir Source: El Confidencial. This method accounts for less than 5% of exoplanet discoveries and opens a new window to distant worlds.

Both findings highlight TESS's versatility, detecting planets that other missions might miss. NGTS-38 b pushes the bounds of transit surveys while Gaia23bra b proves that archival data can yield unexpected treasures.