Astronomers at Birmingham are playing a leading role in the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), NASA’s new exoplanet and stellar astrophysics mission. TESS will survey the brightest stars across the sky to detect thousands of planets orbiting the stars, and to learn more about the stars themselves.
Astronomers at Birmingham, led by Professor William Chaplin, are playing a leading role in the asteroseismology programme of TESS.
Observing stars from satellites in space allow us to gather a wealth of detailed information on them. TESS will survey the brightest stars across the sky to detect thousands of planets orbiting the stars and to study the stars themselves.
Over the next two years, TESS will provide a census of stars in our solar neighbourhood, many of which are familiar and identifiable from Earth. The study of other stars and planets in our Galaxy allows us to better understand our place in the Universe. How many stellar systems in the Galaxy might also have planets capable of harbouring life, like the precious planet we live on?
Find out more
TESS mission Q&A with Professor William Chaplin