52 Eclipsing Quadruple Star Candidates Discovered in TESS Full Frame Images

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of 52 eclipsing quadruple star candidates in TESS data, identified through machine learning and citizen science, revealing complex hierarchical stellar systems with detailed measurements and potential for further study.

Contribution

Introduces a new catalog of 52 eclipsing quadruple star candidates detected in TESS data using machine learning and citizen science, with detailed validation and characterization.

Findings

52 quadruple star candidates identified

Confirmed that eclipses originate within ~2-4 arcsec of targets

Some systems show eclipse timing variations and astrometric solutions

Abstract

We present the discovery of 52 eclipsing quadruple star candidates detected in TESS Full Frame Image eleanor data by machine learning and citizen scientists. The uniformly-vetted and -validated targets exhibit two sets of eclipses following two distinct periods, representing quadruple systems with a 2+2 hierarchical configuration. Detailed photocenter measurements confirmed that both sets of eclipses originate within ~0.1-0.2 pixels (~2-4 arcsec) of the corresponding target, and ruled out resolved nearby field stars. The catalog includes a number of systems producing prominent eclipse timing variations and/or apsidal motion, a quadruple with an outer period of ~1,400 days, and even a 2+2 quadruple in a likely wide quintuple with a resolved co-moving star. Additionally, two systems have complete astrometric solutions for the outer orbits from Gaia. We provide the measured ephemerides, eclipse depths and durations, overall statistical properties, and highlight potentially interesting systems that merit further investigations.