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Black Hole

Lensing of space time around a black hole. At Oxford we study black holes observationally and theoretically on all size and time scales - it is some of our core work.

Credit: ALAIN RIAZUELO, IAP/UPMC/CNRS. CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE IMAGES.

George Dransfield

JRF - Magdalen College

Research theme

  • Astronomy and astrophysics
  • Exoplanets and planetary physics

Sub department

  • Astrophysics
george.dransfield@physics.ox.ac.uk
Denys Wilkinson Building, room 463
  • About
  • Publications

ASTEP confirmation of a pair of long-period Jupiter-sized planets with extremely low densities transiting TOI-791

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Oxford University Press (OUP) 549:4 (2026) stag864

Authors:

Georgina Dransfield, Antoine C Petit, Amaury HMJ Triaud, Tristan Guillot, François-Xavier Schmider, Lyu Abe, Abdelkrim Agabi, Khalid Barkaoui, Thomas A Baycroft, Philippe Bendjoya, Rafael Brahm, Karen A Collins, Billy Edwards, Phil Evans, Alix V Freckelton, Nolan Grieves, Steve B Howell, Franco Mallia, Djamel Mekarnia, Angelica Psaridi, Daniel Sebastian, Keivan G Stassun, Chris Stockdale, Amalie Stokholm, Olga Suarez, Thiam-Guan Tan, Mathilde Timmermans, Cristilyn N Watkins, Carl Ziegler, Abderahmane Soubkiou, François Bouchy, Marion Cointepas, Vincent Deloupy, Maximilian N GĂŒnther, MichaĂ«l Gillon, Giovanni Isopi, Emmanuel Jehin, Jon M Jenkins, AndrĂ©s JordĂĄn, Martin B Nielsen, Sara Seager, Avi Shporer, Julia V Seidel, Michal Steiner, Trifon Trifonov, Joseph D Twicken, Joshua N Winn, Aldo Zapparata

Abstract:

ABSTRACT Gas giant planets with periods $20~\lt ~P~\lt ~300~\rm d$ orbiting Sun-like stars are a relatively uncommon outcome of planetary formation, and key questions about the nature and formation of this subpopulation remain unanswered. Theoretical models for the location of their formation (in situ or ex situ) and for their subsequent migration predict different outcomes in terms of planet masses and eccentricities, indicating that observations have a key role to play in disentangling their histories. In this work, we present the discovery and confirmation of a pair of long-period Jupiter-sized planets transiting an F7 star: TOI-791 b is a $0.993\pm 0.033\rm ~R_{Jup}$ planet on a $139.29931_{-0.00012}^{+0.00011}~\rm d$ orbit, and TOI-791 c, a $1.155\pm 0.040\rm ~R_{Jup}$ planet on a $232.01570_{-0.00071}^{+0.00067}~\rm d$ orbit. The two planets are within 0.07 per cent of a second-order 5:3 period commensurability leading to transit timing variations (TTVs) of up to 50 min. We confirm their planetary nature using ground-based photometry, including multiple full detections of the $\gt 11~\rm h$ transits of both TOI-791 b and c from Antarctica with ASTEP, making these the longest-duration transits ever observed in their entirety from the ground. Our detailed analysis of the TTV signal allows us to measure dynamical masses for both planets, which yield densities of $\rho _{\rm b}=0.038\pm 0.008 \rm ~g~cm^{-3}$ and $\rho _{\rm c}=0.047\pm 0.006 \rm ~g~cm^{-3}$, indicating that TOI-791 b and c are two of the lowest density giant planets ever detected. While these measurements are robust, further follow-up is needed to fully characterize the TTV signal and the architecture of the system.

The Longest-period Young Transiting Exoplanets—A Duo of Puffy Giants inside a Debris Disk

The Astrophysical Journal Letters American Astronomical Society 1003:1 (2026) l15

Authors:

Carlos del Burgo, Alejandro Suårez Mascareño, Ana Heras, Jonathan P Marshall, Peter J Wheatley, Edward M Bryant, Samuel Gill, Jorge Fernåndez Fernåndez, David R Anderson, Matthew P Battley, Edward Gillen, SolÚne Ulmer-Moll, James McCormac, Monika Lendl, Ioannis Apergis, Faith Hawthorn, James S Jenkins, Maximiliano Moyano, Louise D Nielsen, Alexis MS Smith, Suman Saha, Stéphane Udry, Jose I Vines, Richard G West, Daniel Bayliss, Hugh P Osborn, Tristan Guillot, Amaury HMJ Triaud, Olga Suarez, Matteo Beltrame, Abdelkrim Agabi, Isabella Pagano, Matthew J Hooton, Matthew R Burleigh, Lyu Abe, Philippe Bendjoya, Georgina Dransfield, Djamel Mékarnia

Abstract:

We identify two large-radius planets around the F-type star HD 114082 as the longest-period young transiting exoplanets known. From the first transit, detected by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), and a second dip, spotted by the Next-Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), we predicted midtransit times for HD 114082 b (planet b). We pinpoint its orbit (period Pb = 225.5504 ± 0.0004 days) from a third transit captured with the ESA’s CHaracterising ExOplanet Satellite and the upgraded Antarctic Search for Transiting ExoPlanets telescope (ASTEP+), alongside orbit-discriminating observations. Another dimming partly covered by ASTEP+ completes the four-transit series. We support with dynamical evidence the planetary nature of a deeper transit detected with TESS and NGTS, identifying planet c. Additionally, we reexamine the debris disk, fitting its excess emission with two dust components. Fundamental stellar parameters are inferred from stellar evolution models, while a joint modeling of photometric and radial velocity time series yields the planetary parameters, with masses further constrained using an N-body code. For planet b, the semimajor axis ab = 0.791 ± 0.008 au, eccentricity eb ≈0, inclination ib = 89 .° 791 ±0.014, radius Rb = 1.046 ± 0.014 RJ, and 95% confidence upper limit on its mass M95%,b = 1.6 MJ. For planet c, ac = 0.99 −0.04+0.03 au, ec ≈0, ic = 89 .° 701 ±0.011, Rc = 1.36±0.03 RJ, and M95%,c = 2.0 MJ (0.24 MJ if adding transit-timing-variation constraints). They seem to be moderate-to-low-mass giants in nearly resonant, coplanar, circular orbits that formed in situ, or beyond the snow line, and migrated inward, shaping the disk.

MANGOS – II. Five new giant planets orbiting low-mass stars

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Oxford University Press 547:4 (2026) stag448

Authors:

G Dransfield, M Timmermans, D Sebastian, BV Rackham, A Burgasser, K Barkaoui, AHMJ Triaud, M Gillon, JM Almenara, SL Casewell, KA Collins, A Fukui, C Janó Muñoz, S Kanodia, N Narita, E Palle, MG Scott, A Soubkiou, A Stokholm, J Audenaert, GÁ Bakos, Y Beletsky, ZL de Beurs, Z Benkhaldoun, A Burdanov

Abstract:

Giant planets orbiting low-mass stars on short orbits present a conundrum, as in the most extreme cases their existence cannot be reconciled with current models of core accretion. Therefore, surveys dedicated to finding these rare planets have a key role to play by growing the sample to overcome small number statistics. In this work, we present MANGOS, a programme dedicated to the search for giant objects (planets, brown dwarfs, and low-mass stars) orbiting M dwarfs. We report on the discovery of five new giant planets (TOI-3288 Ab, TOI-4666 b, TOI-5007 b, TOI-5292 Ab, TOI-5916 b) first detected by TESS, and confirmed using ground-based photometry and spectroscopy. The five planets have radii in the range of 0.99–1.12 , masses between 0.49 and 1.69 , and orbital periods between 1.43 and 2.91 d. We reveal that TOI-3288 and TOI-5292 are wide binaries, and in the case of TOI-5292, we are able to characterize both stellar components. We demonstrate that the planets presented are suitable for further characterization of their obliquities and atmospheres. We detect a small but significant eccentricity for TOI-5007 b, although for this to be more robust, more observations are needed to fully sample the orbit. Finally, we reveal a correlation between stellar metallicity and planet bulk density for giant planets orbiting low-mass stars.

TOI-1080 b: a temperate, rocky planet orbiting a quiet M4V host

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Oxford University Press 548:1 (2026) stag438

Authors:

Y Gómez Maqueo Chew, G Dransfield, K Barkaoui, C Cadieux, E Ducrot, BV Rackham, M Timmermans, AJ Burgasser, A Segura, KG Stassun, C Ziegler, A Soubkiou, JM Almenara, BO Demory, M Gillon, JM Jenkins, E Jofré, A Khandelwal, S Påez, R Petrucci, L Parc, M Pichardo Marcano, I Plauchu-Frayn, U Schroffenegger, R Schwarz

Abstract:

We present the detection and validation of a small, temperate transiting exoplanet orbiting TOI-1080 every 3.9652482 d. The host is a quiet M4V star at 25.6 pc. The planet signal was first detected by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and validated using TESS and ground-based observations. By fitting the available light curves, the planet radius is measured to be 1.200 0.058 R and its equilibrium temperature of K. With Near Infra Red Planet Searcher (NIRPS) radial velocities, we are able to place a 3 upper limit on the mass of TOI-1080 b of 10.7 M. Our injection-recovery tests enable us to discard additional transiting planets in the TOI-1080 system with radii down to 0.9 R and periods between 0.5 and 7.7 d, and planets with radii larger than 1.4 R for periods up to 19 d. We demonstrate that it is highly amenable to characterization of its mass and putative atmosphere. In particular, we find that TOI-1080 b is an exceptional target for the ongoing JWST + HST Rocky Worlds DDT programme, having a priority score that is higher than four out of nine targets currently being investigated by the programme. TOI-1080 b can be added to the sample of nearby benchmark planets accessible for detailed study with JWST.

Two temperate Earth- and Neptune-sized planets orbiting fully convective M dwarfs

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2026) stag070

Authors:

Madison G Scott, Georgina Dransfield, Mathilde Timmermans, Amaury HMJ Triaud, Benjamin V Rackham, Khalid Barkaoui, Adam J Burgasser, Karen A Collins, MichaĂ«l Gillon, Steve B Howell, Alan M Levine, Francisco J Pozuelos, Keivan G Stassun, Carl Ziegler, Yilen Gomez Maqueo Chew, Catherine A Clark, Yasmin Davis, Fatemeh Davoudi, Tansu Daylan, Brice-Olivier Demory, Dax Feliz, Akihiko Fukui, Maximilian N GĂŒnther, EmmanuĂ«l Jehin, Florian Lienhard, Andrew W Mann, ClĂ udia JanĂł Muñoz, Norio Narita, Peter P Pedersen, Richard P Schwarz, Avi Shporer, Abderahmane Soubkiou, SebastiĂĄn ZĂșñiga-FernĂĄndez

Abstract:

As the diversity of exoplanets continues to grow, it is important to revisit assumptions about habitability and classical HZ definitions. In this work, we introduce an expanded ’temperate’ zone, defined by instellation fluxes between 0.1 < S/S⊕ < 5, thus encompassing a broader range of potentially habitable worlds. We also introduce the TEMPOS survey, which aims to produce a catalogue of precise radii for temperate planets orbiting M dwarfs with Teff ≀ 3400 K. This work reports the discovery and characterisation of two planets in this temperate regime orbiting mid-type M dwarfs: TOI-6716 b, a Rb = 0.98 ± 0.07 R⊕ planet orbiting its M4 host star (R⋆ = 0.231 ± 0.015R ⊙, M⋆ = 0.223 ± 0.011 M ⊙, Teff = 3110 ± 80 K) with a period $P=4.7185898^{+0.0000054}_{-0.0000041}\, \mathrm{d}$ , and TOI-7384 b, a Rb = 3.56 ± 0.21 R⊕ planet orbiting an M4 (R⋆ = 0.319 ± 0.018R ⊙, M⋆ = 0.318 ± 0.016 M ⊙, Teff = 3185 ± 75 K) star every $P=6.2340258^{+0.0000034}_{-0.0000036}\, \mathrm{d}$ . The radii of TOI-6716 b and TOI-7384 b have precisions of 6.8 % and 5.9 % respectively. We validate these planets with multi-band ground-based photometric observations, high-resolution imaging and statistical analyses. We find these planets to have instellation fluxes close to the inner (hotter) edge of the temperate zone, with Sb = 4.4 ± 1.1 S⊕ and Sb = 4.9 ± 1.1 S⊕ for TOI-6716 b and TOI-7384 b respectively. Also, with a predicted TSM similar to the TRAPPIST-1 planets, TOI-6716 b is likely to be a good rocky-world JWST target, should it have retained its atmosphere.

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