TESS has discovered the most compact quadruple star system.
The TESS space telescope has discovered the most compact known quadruple star system, where four stars are located within the radius of Jupiter’s orbit. This discovery offers new insights into the little-studied multiple star structures in the Universe.
Cursus
The TESS space telescope has detected the most compact known quadruple star system. This discovery paves the way for a deeper understanding of such astronomical structures, which remain largely unexplored to this day.
Characteristics of the TIC 120362137 System
The TIC 120362137 system consists of four stars. Three of them are located very close to each other, while the fourth is situated a bit farther away. The size of this system does not exceed the orbit of Jupiter in our Solar System, meaning all four stars are contained within a radius of about 770 million kilometers.
Discovery Process
Initial observations with the TESS telescope revealed only two stars orbiting each other with a period of 3.3 days. The third star was identified by changes in brightness occurring every 25 days. The existence of the fourth star became apparent after new eclipses were recorded, which was later confirmed using the Tillinghast Reflector Echelle Spectrograph (TRES).
Physical Parameters of the Stars
The most massive star in the system, designated Aa, surpasses the Sun in both mass and temperature. The other two closely positioned stars have similar characteristics. The fourth star, labeled C, is comparable to the Sun in mass and temperature, and its orbital period is 1,046 days.
Significance of the Discovery
The discovery of such a compact quadruple star system sets a new precedent in astronomy and may help identify similar systems in other parts of the Universe.