will soon enter the NASA database

Two Italian amateur astronomers have made an extraordinary discovery: a Jupiter-like exoplanet, located 300 light years away in the constellation of Dolphin. Giuseppe Conzo and Mara Moriconimembers of the Palidoro Astrophile Group, have identified the new exoplanet, called Toi-6883 b, thanks to data provided by NASA’s Tess space telescope. The discovery was published in the journal Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society and subsequently confirmed by a research team led by the American Seti Institute.

The discovery

«It all started more than a year ago, when, analyzing the raw data that Tess makes available, I identified a drop in brightness in the star Toi-6883, which could indicate the passage of an object in front of the star», declared Giuseppe Conzo at Ansa. This type of variation is a typical indicator of the presence of a transiting exoplanet. To ensure that it was not a false positive, Conzo and Moriconi used instruments that record the movement of the telescope with respect to the star, excluding possible signal pollution. Furthermore, they analyzed the pixels around the star to check that there were no other stars that could contaminate the image. Both analyzes gave negative results, confirming the hypothesis of an exoplanet.

Features of Toi-6883 b

The exoplanet Toi-6883 b was included among the candidate planets in the Tess database thanks to the work of the two amateur astronomers. Conzo and Moriconi managed to measure the intensity of the decrease in brightness, determining the dimensions of the object in transit: «In this case 13 times the Earth – says Conzo – therefore slightly larger than Jupiter». This initial discovery was then followed by a more detailed study led by the Seti Institute, which calculated the planet’s orbital period as just over 16 Earth days.

International recognition

The exoplanet Toi-6883 b is now part of the European Exoplanet database of exoplanets and is expected to enter the NASA database soon. This discovery highlights the importance of the contribution of amateur astronomers in astronomical research and the fundamental role of international collaboration. «The discovery of a new exoplanet requires a long and complex process – concludes Conzo – and also a good dose of luck». Conzo and Moriconi’s dedication and attention to detail demonstrate how even non-professional enthusiasts can significantly contribute to the exploration of the universe.

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