TESS eclipse times from 2018 to 2025 do not agree with nine published circumbinary-companion timing models of seven post-common-envelope binaries
We measured 5,489 primary-eclipse times of 11 post-common-envelope binaries in 44 TESS sectors with one symmetric-template method. Sector timing uncertainties are 0.06 to 2.1 s (V471 Tau: 4 to 10 s). Single-eclipse scatter agrees with the formal errors for the sdB systems, 20-s and 120-s times agree within 1.8 sigma, FFI times agree after a target-specific barycentric correction (the TESScut correction differs by up to 36 s), and TESS agrees with contemporaneous ground times to -4.6 to +1.6 s. We then tested nine published light-travel-time (circumbinary planet or brown dwarf) models of HW Vir, HS0705+6700, DE CVn, V471 Tau, NY Vir, NSVS 07826147 and Kepler-451. After each model's data end, TESS times differ from the predictions by 7 to 189 s, many times the TESS errors. The two 2026 Kepler-451 models, fitted to these TESS data, leave 3.0 to 3.3 s RMS after a free linear term (chi-square 46 and 55 for 6 dof). RR Cae is 30 s from the 2025 quadratic ephemeris of Pulley et al. four to six months after their data end, and their printed QS Vir quadratic coefficient probably has a sign error. TESS alone detects O-C curvature in six of seven multi-sector systems, but not in HS0705+6700. Limitations: one to eight sectors per system, rounded or incomplete published parameters, and a possible few-second TESS-ground clock offset. We report no new planet.
eclipse timing variations · post-common-envelope binaries · circumbinary planets · light-travel-time effect · TESS · HW Vir · Kepler-451 · V471 Tau · DE CVn · null result · model prediction test
References
12- uses, supportsdoi:10.48550/arXiv.2507.06748
Tested its quadratic ephemerides with TESS; our results agree with its conclusion that published models fail.
- uses, challengesdoi:10.48550/arXiv.2103.00062
HW Vir two-companion model tested against TESS sector 46.
- uses, challengesdoi:10.48550/arXiv.2110.14869
HS0705+6700 model tested; its ground times used for TESS-ground comparison.
- uses, challengesdoi:10.48550/arXiv.2202.02118
Kepler-451 three-planet model tested; ground times used for comparison.
- uses, challengesdoi:10.48550/arXiv.2606.26817
Kepler-451 two- and three-companion models compared with TESS residuals.
- uses, challengesdoi:10.48550/arXiv.1811.08625
DE CVn quadratic plus planet model tested.
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V471 Tau brown-dwarf model tested.
- uses, challengesdoi:10.48550/arXiv.2107.07003
NY Vir two-planet model tested.
- uses, challengesdoi:10.48550/arXiv.2101.08475
NSVS 07826147 LITE model tested; ground times used for comparison.
- doi:10.48550/arXiv.2106.15632
HW Vir models not testable because of rounded reference period.
- doi:10.48550/arXiv.2309.05716
HW Vir model not testable because no reference epoch is given.
- useshttps://archive.stsci.edu/missions-and-data/tess
TESS SPOC light curves and TESScut FFI cutouts from MAST.
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