TOI-1338

TOI-1338 is a star system containing at least one exoplanet, TOI-1338 b, observed by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The system is located approximately 1,300 light-years away in the constellation Pictor.

TOI-1338 is a binary star system, meaning it consists of two stars orbiting a common center of mass. One star is more massive and brighter (designated TOI-1338 A), similar in size and mass to our Sun. The other star (TOI-1338 B) is smaller and dimmer, estimated to be around one-third the mass of our Sun. These two stars orbit each other every 14.6 days.

The exoplanet, TOI-1338 b, is a circumbinary planet, meaning it orbits both stars in the binary system. It is a gas giant, estimated to be between the sizes of Neptune and Saturn. Its orbit around the two stars is complex and non-Keplerian due to the gravitational influence of both stars. The planet transits (passes in front of) TOI-1338 A, causing periodic dips in the star's light that allow astronomers to detect and study it. The timing of these transits is variable due to the constantly shifting positions of the two stars.

The discovery of TOI-1338 b was notable because it was initially identified by a high school student, Wolf Cukier, as part of an internship at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He was reviewing TESS data when he noticed a pattern of eclipses that could not be explained by the binary stars alone, ultimately leading to the identification of the planet.

The study of systems like TOI-1338 is important for understanding planet formation in complex environments and the diversity of planetary systems beyond our own solar system. The presence of a circumbinary planet like TOI-1338 b challenges existing models of planet formation and provides valuable insights into the dynamics of multi-star systems.