Key Takeaways
1. The TIC 120362137 system is the most compact quadruple star system discovered, fitting within the orbit of Jupiter.
2. Initial observations with the TESS space telescope revealed only two stars, with the third and fourth stars identified later through brightness changes and eclipses.
3. The heaviest star in the system, known as Aa, is larger and hotter than the Sun.
4. Star C has a mass and temperature similar to the Sun, with an orbital period of 1,046 days.
5. This discovery could help scientists find more similar star systems throughout the universe.
The universe is incredibly expansive, leading astronomers to uncover new findings each year, especially with tools like the James Webb Space Telescope and the TESS space telescope. Recently, researchers published a study that emphasized the discovery of the most compact quadruple star system known to date.
The TIC 120362137 System
TIC 120362137 consists of three stars that are very close to each other, along with a fourth star that is somewhat farther away. If we were to compare its size to our solar system, it would fit within the orbit of Jupiter. To put it simply, these four stars are situated within a radius of approximately 770 million kilometers.
Unusual Observations
The discovery of this system was noteworthy because, at first, observations made with the TESS space telescope showed nothing out of the ordinary. Initially, only two stars were detected, orbiting each other every 3.3 days. The third star was identified due to changes in brightness that happened every 25 days. The presence of the fourth star was confirmed through new eclipses, which were then validated using the Tillinghast Reflector Echelle Spectrograph (TRES).
The Most Massive Star
In this system, the heaviest star is known as Aa, and it is both larger and hotter than our Sun. This trend continues with the other two stars that are nearby. On the other hand, star C has a mass and temperature comparable to the Sun, with an orbital period of 1,046 days. Therefore, this discovery is a groundbreaking achievement and could enable scientists to find similar systems scattered throughout the universe.
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