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TOI-2267 Becomes First Binary With Planets Transiting Each Star

Peer-reviewed analysis leveraging TESS data with rapid ground follow-up validates a rare configuration that challenges planet-formation models.

Overview

  • The Astronomy & Astrophysics paper confirms two Earth-size planets, TOI-2267b and TOI-2267c, with orbital periods of 2.28 and 3.49 days, and reports a third Earth-size candidate at 2.03 days.
  • Researchers find that two planets transit one M-dwarf and the third transits its companion, marking the first known case of transiting planets around both members of a binary system.
  • The host star for each confirmed planet remains ambiguous, yielding radius estimates that span roughly 1.0 to 1.36 Earth radii depending on the assigned host.
  • Signals were extracted from NASA’s TESS observations using the team’s SHERLOCK software, with SPECULOOS and TRAPPIST providing rapid ground-based confirmations.
  • TOI-2267 is a compact, cool M-dwarf pair separated by about 8 AU, and the team flags it as a key target for radial-velocity monitoring and future spectroscopy to determine masses and probe atmospheres.