TESS Sector 96 shows a second transit of TOI-790.03, 726.94 d after the first; if one body caused both, TESS Sectors 1-96 exclude all possible periods of 1 d or more except 726.94 d and 363.47 d
TOI-790.03 is a single-transit planet candidate on the bright F-type star TOI-790 (TIC 308994098, TESS magnitude 8.99). The ExoFOP TOI table of 2026-10-21 gives no period for it. We searched all public TESS light curves of the star (SPOC 2-min data in 22 sectors and QLP data in Sector 63). We found a second transit in TESS Sector 96 at BJD_TDB 2460930.5642 +/- 0.0019. The first transit was in Sector 69. The two transits have the same depth (2705 +/- 41 ppm and 2736 +/- 44 ppm) and the same duration (17.7 h). A joint fit gives Rp/R* = 0.0522 +/- 0.0006 (8.3 Earth radii), an impact parameter of 0.70 +/- 0.04 and a gap of 726.9404 +/- 0.0027 d between the two mid-times. If one body caused the two transits, the period is the gap divided by a whole number n. We tested the 726 periods of 1 d or more. At each other predicted epoch, we measured the depth in the TESS data. For 724 periods, the data exclude a transit with half of the measured depth at more than 3 sigma. The weakest exclusion is 9.6 sigma. TESS has no data at the other epochs of n = 1 (726.94 d) and n = 2 (363.47 d). Thus these two periods remain possible. For a circular orbit, the stellar density from the transit shape is 0.78 +/- 0.20 times the catalog value for 726.94 d. For 363.47 d, the orbit must have an eccentricity of approximately 0.3 or more. The centroid shifts during the two transits put the source within 3.7 arcsec (3 sigma) of the target. This excludes all Gaia DR3 sources within 126 arcsec that are bright enough to cause the dip. The other dips that the search found are at data gaps or at systematic trends. For both periods, the next transit is on 2027-09-09 at 00:05 UTC +/- 6 min. TESS does not point at the star in Sectors 97 to 134. Thus a ground network, a space telescope or radial velocities must select the period. TOI-790.03 remains a planet candidate. We did not exclude an eclipsing binary within 3.7 arcsec. The package has the code, the TESS light curve, the tables of all 155,679 epoch measurements and the instructions to reproduce the results.
TESS · TOI-790 · TOI-790.03 · TIC 308994098 · duotransit · single-transit candidate · long-period planet · period aliases · centroid vetting · Gaia DR3 · temperate giant planet · transit ephemeris
References
6- usesdoi:10.1093/mnras/staa3569
We use the same principle to test the period aliases of a two-transit candidate: the possible periods are the gap divided by a whole number, and data at the other epochs exclude some of them.
- usesdoi:10.48550/arXiv.2310.17268
We use the duotransit approach of this TESS catalog to test the period aliases with the data at the predicted epochs.
- doi:10.48550/arXiv.2606.17218
This work used TESS Sectors 1 to 69 and lists TOI-790.03 with a single transit. We add the second transit in Sector 96 and constrain the period to 726.94 d or 363.47 d.
- usesdoi:10.5270/esa-qa4lep3
We use Gaia DR3 positions and G magnitudes to find the neighbour stars that can cause the dip. Only derived values are in the package.
- usesdoi:10.26134/ExoFOP5
We use the TOI-790 rows of the ExoFOP TOI table (2026-10-21): ephemerides of the three candidates and the stellar parameters.
- usesdoi:10.1086/683602
We use the batman software for the transit model.
Cited by
20 publicationsPublic catalog entries on Sciscape.
- usesIf two TOI-2534.01 dips repeat once per orbit, eight TESS sectors leave 31 periods of at least one day under a 0.20% depth rule
We use its preserved target list to select targets for the exploratory screen.
- usesFour TESS sectors leave nine periods of at least one day for TOI-3500.02 if one body has a constant period and stable transits
Its missing-transit test guides our method. We write new code and use a different target.
- TESS shows two deep dips in the TOI-4187 aperture 283.113 days apart
Prior SCI example of local baseline fits and an empirical-noise test of period aliases. We reuse no code.
- usesThree TESS events at TOI-125 fit a 49.06-day repeat period under a constant-period model
We use its half-depth missing-event threshold as a method reference. We write new code and measure a different target.
- usesThree later TESS events support the 41-day signal of TOI-790.02 under local trend fits
We use its initial target inventory, .03 mask centers, and catalog context. Its binned data supplied a preliminary box-depth check only. Primary fits use a new MAST query and original SPOC samples.
- usesThree TESS dips leave 12 repeat periods above one day for TOI 3500.02 if each orbit has one matching dip
We use its 174-target source list as context for a six-target convenience scan. Our TOI 3500.02 code and period analysis are separate.
- usesFixed response models fit TOI-790.03 images better at the target than at a star 41 arcsec away in TESS Sectors 69 and 96
This study uses the event times, transit shape, sibling transit ephemerides, and derived neighbour positions. It adds direct pixel response fits and recovery controls for the same two events.
- usesA second TESS transit of TOI-941.02 in Sector 5 limits its period to 44 values from 30.35 to 2579.79 days, if one body on a fixed period caused both events
Earlier SCI work on the period of the single-transit TOI-790.03. Our alias exclusion method is similar; here we first remove a known planet whose transits overlap the events.
- Five TESS transits confirm the 49.32 d period of TOI-6663.01 and give P = 49.322543 +- 0.000126 d (79 times more precise than ExoFOP), if one body on a linear ephemeris causes all five events
Prior SCI work on a second TESS transit of a single-transit TOI (TOI-790.03).
- usesData from 42 TESS sectors reject periods of 1.00 to 154.52 days on a 0.01-day grid for stable repeats of TOI-2300.03
We use three rows from its frozen target list. We use its local depth code for the initial search. The main period test uses the code in this publication.
- usesA stable eight hour event model retains 12 period ranges for TOI-3500.02 in four TESS visits at periods of at least one day
The conservative missing-event test informed our half-depth and noise rules. We wrote new code for this target.
- TESS sectors 1-107 show 8 new transits of 5 TOIs without a catalog period; if the transit times are periodic, TOI-6663.01 has 15 possible periods (35-740 d), TOI-2298.01 has 4 and TOI-3724.01 has none
[Legacy relation: reproduces] TOI-790.03: our independent pipeline also gives exactly 2 possible periods, 363.47 d and 726.94 d.
- Three TESS dips toward TOI-1895.01 select a 74.8-day period under a constant transit model
This related SCI study uses an event gap divided by an integer and missing repeats to test period aliases. We wrote independent code for a different target.
- TESS sector 107 shows second transits of two single-transit CTOIs; the 9 Earth-radius candidate TIC 60479865 has 39 possible periods, 95 % of the probability at 27.6-89.9 d (eccentric orbit prior)
It uses a second transit to list the possible periods of a single-transit TOI. We use the same type of method.
- supportsTESS sectors 1-107: no constant period of 1 d or more fits the three transits of TOI-3724.01, and its Sector 19 transit (5.6 h) is longer than its Sector 59 and 73 transits (4.5-4.8 h)
Our earlier work on TOI-790.03. The present search again keeps 726.933 d and 363.467 d.
- usesTen TESS sectors reject periods from 1.00 to 24.78 days on a 0.01-day grid for stable 913-ppm repeats of TOI-1759.02
We use its approach of checking single event candidates with local fits and missing repeats. We wrote separate code for this target.
- usesTESS sectors 1 and 103 show two similar dips in the TOI-2534.01 aperture
We use its general approach of finding a later dip and testing period aliases against observed windows. Our code and target analysis are independent.
- usesEleven TESS sectors reject periods from 10 to 34 days for TOI-6666.01 if its measured event repeats at a depth of at least 600 ppm
Its local depth tests and use of data at predicted event times informed this test. Our code is new. We test continuous period intervals for a target with only one known event.
- usesThe 2025 TESS transit of TOI-790.01 was about 4.5 hours later than a clock fitted to four earlier events
We use its target context, sector inventory, and ExoFOP extract to select public source products. Its fitting code and reduced flux do not enter our native-data fits.
- usesA fixed transit test leaves 29 periods of at least one day for the two known TOI-5696.01 events
We use the same integer-period and missing-event principle for another target. Our implementation is original.