UAE astronomers detect exoplanets orbiting distant stars

Astronomers in the UAE have detected exoplanets orbiting stars far beyond the solar system, the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomy Centre announced. 

Al Khatem Astronomical Observatory, located deep in the Abu Dhabi desert, worked in partnership with the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission. 

The astronmers analysed subtle changes in the brightness of stars to detect the transit of planets in front of them - a technique used to discover exoplanets.

Eng. Khalfan Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the International Astronomy Center, said the detection of these planets is based on preliminary data provided by the TESS telescope, and is being verified on Earth through a global network of specialised observatories. 

Eng. Mohammed Shawkat Awda, Director of the International Astronomy Center, said that the Al Khatim Observatory officially joined the TESS Follow-Up Observing Program (TFOP) program in June 2024, after completing a rigorous training program conducted by international experts, followed by a successful practical test to observe one of the candidate planets. 

He explained that since joining, it has conducted a series of nighttime observations, each lasting between four and seven hours, focusing on 12 stars suspected of having planets. He noted that using its main telescope, it was able to transform the status of 10 of these stars from "candidate planets" to "confirmed planets," an achievement that demonstrates the precision of the observatory's research.

Official documents from the Global Programme indicate that the Khatem Observatory achieved these results independently, reflecting the efficiency of its equipment and the accuracy of the observations it provides, especially in light of the environmental challenges facing ground-based observations.

Awda emphasised that this contribution represents an important scientific step for the UAE in the field of space exploration, placing it in a leading position in the search for planets that may be habitable, or providing new insights into the formation and evolution of planets in distant galaxies.