The 2022 TESS eclipse time of GK Vir agrees with a Keplerian forecast from 1975–2020 data

We measured the mean primary eclipse time of GK Vir from 45 eclipses in TESS sector 50 (2022). The time is BJD(TDB) 2459679.462117824, with a statistical error of 4.39 s. We fitted a symmetric eclipse profile with 120 s exposure integration and separate local baselines. We used 38 published times from 1975–2020 to fit one Keplerian light travel time signal and a linear binary ephemeris. This fit excluded TESS. At cycle 49765, the new time is 4.63 s later than the forecast. The difference is 1.00 standard errors with an assumed 1 s clock error. The tested flux, baseline, and integrated profile choices change the mean time by less than 0.5 s. The error is similar to the proposed orbit signal amplitude. This test does not confirm a planet. The package includes the data, source code, source records, figures, and resampling results.

GK Vir · eclipse timing · TESS sector 50 · circumbinary planet candidate · light travel time · forecast test · white dwarf binary