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    The Community Scientists Who Helped Discover A New Planet

    en-usMarch 30, 2022

    Podcast Summary

    • Discover the best car insurance options for your budget with ProgressiveUse Progressive's name your price tool to find coverage options that fit within your budget

      Just like how Tom and Paul discovered their passions for dinosaurs and astronomy at a young age, Progressive allows you to discover the best car insurance options for your budget. By using Progressive's name your price tool, you can specify how much you're willing to pay, and they'll show you coverage options that fit within your budget. Meanwhile, in the world of astronomy, scientists like Paul Dauba are on a mission to discover exoplanets, or planets beyond our solar system. This process involves looking for transit events, where a planet passes in front of a star and blocks some of its light. These subtle changes in brightness can be detected in large datasets, such as those from the NASA satellite TESS, and can indicate the presence of a planet. This discovery process is crucial in understanding the properties of these planets and how they came to be. So whether you're discovering the best car insurance options for your budget or uncovering the secrets of the universe, the importance of persistence and curiosity knows no bounds.

    • Community Scientists: Invaluable Treasure Hunters in AstronomyPassionate volunteers contribute significantly to astronomy by discovering new exoplanets as 'treasure hunters', using their expertise and collaborating with professionals to expand our cosmic knowledge.

      The role of community scientists, like Tom Jacobs and his visual survey group, in the field of astronomy is invaluable. These dedicated individuals, often working as volunteers, use their passion and expertise to help discover new exoplanets and other celestial bodies. They serve as "treasure hunters," combing through vast amounts of data to identify potential planets that might be missed by automated systems or professional astronomers. Their contributions have led to the discovery of numerous planets, including a Jupiter-like exoplanet, TOI 2180b. The collaboration between community scientists and professional astronomers showcases the power of collective efforts in expanding our understanding of the universe.

    • Discovering Exoplanets through Single Transit EventsManual analysis plays a crucial role in discovering exoplanets, even those identified through a single transit event. Despite the challenges and time-consuming nature of this process, skilled analysts like Tom can distinguish real exoplanet transits from noise and systematic errors.

      Discovering exoplanets through single transit events, like TOI 2180b, is a challenging and manual process. Despite the vast number of confirmed exoplanets, there are potentially billions more in our galaxy. These planets are typically identified through multi-transit events and data analysis using computer algorithms. However, TOI 2180b was discovered through a single transit event, making it a rare find. The discovery process involves analyzing light curves, looking for shallow dips in brightness, which can be difficult due to noise and artifacts in the data. These patterns require manual identification and can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Tom, a former naval officer, uses his pattern recognition skills from his naval career to aid in this process. The data used in exoplanet discovery is not always clean, making it essential to distinguish real exoplanet transits from systematic errors. TOI 2180b is a unique exoplanet discovery due to its identification through a single transit event, and the challenges involved in its discovery highlight the importance of manual analysis in exoplanet research.

    • Discovery of a Rare Jupiter-like Planet TOI 2180b through Community ScienceScientists discovered a massive Jupiter-sized planet TOI 2180b, located in a close star system, through community science collaboration, providing insights into giant planet formation and the importance of public involvement in research.

      Scientists have discovered an exceptionally rare gas giant planet named TOI 2180b, which is about the size of Jupiter but almost three times more massive. This planet is located in a relatively close star system, making it brighter and providing more information. The planet transits its host star and has an orbital period of approximately 261 days, making it a unique find among known exoplanets. What makes this discovery even more remarkable is that it was made possible through community science, with amateurs working alongside professionals to analyze data. This collaboration not only saves time but also makes science more accessible and inclusive. The team is eagerly awaiting the confirmation of a second transit event, which they believe will be detected in the upcoming data set. This discovery not only provides valuable insights into the formation and composition of giant planets but also highlights the importance of community involvement in scientific research.

    • Scientists Make Significant Discovery with Exoplanet TOI 2 180 bScientists observed the second transit of exoplanet TOI 2 180 b, enabling them to study its atmosphere, search for rings or exomoons, and deepen partnerships with community scientist groups, marking a significant step forward in understanding this exoplanet.

      A team of scientists, led by Tom Jacobs, has made a significant discovery with the exoplanet TOI 2 180 b. They have observed its second transit, which allows them to use telescopes in space and on the ground to study its atmosphere, search for rings or exomoons, and potentially deepen their partnership with community scientist groups. This discovery is a significant step forward in understanding this exoplanet and what it may hold. The team's findings were shared in an email titled "Return of the King." The episode was produced, fact-checked, pitched, and sourced by Chloe Weiner and Katherine Seifer, and edited by Stephanie O'Neil, Gilly Moon, and Giselle Grayson. Neil Carruth served as the senior director of on-demand news programming, and Anya Grundmann was the senior vice president of programming. The podcast is called Shortwave, and the sponsors include Easycater, a company that helps businesses with employee meal plans, on-site staffing, and concierge ordering support, and BlackRock's podcast, The Bid, where Larry Fink, BlackRock's chairman and CEO, discusses challenges facing investors.

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