Overview

• Researchers led by Sabina Sagynbayeva introduced StarryStarryProcess in The Astrophysical Journal on Aug. 25.
• The model analyzes transit light curves together with stellar rotation to infer the number, positions, and contrast of star spots.
• Applied to the TESS-discovered planet TOI-3884 b, the analysis indicates spot concentrations near the host star’s north pole and a geometry that sends the planet across that pole.
• The current implementation fits only visible-light data sets and does not yet incorporate infrared observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
• NASA scientists say the technique will help the upcoming Pandora mission separate stellar variability from planetary atmospheric signals.