New Exoplanets Just Dropped! And Citizen Scientists Helped Find Them

Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars outside our solar system. We've been finding potential exoplanets more often since the Kepler and TESS spacecraft were launched. But confirming these planets takes time, and telescope time is limited. To speed up the process, amateur astronomers are using their own telescopes. One program, called UNITE (Unistellar Network Investigating TESS Exoplanets), brings together a global group of volunteer and professional astronomers. They use Unistellar telescopes to gather data when exoplanets pass in front of their stars, blocking some of the light. Scientists from the SETI Institute and Unistellar analyze this data. Recently, they confirmed two exoplanets—a hot Jupiter and a warm sub-Saturn. Dr. Lauren Sgro, UNITE’s Exoplanets Lead, talks with communications specialist Beth Johnson about exoplanets, community science, and how science is evolving. (Recorded live 19 September 2024.)