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The distribution of stellar obliquities provides critical insight into the formation and evolution pathways of exoplanets. In the past decade, it was found that hot stars hosting hot Jupiters are more likely to have high obliquities than cool stars, but it is not clear whether this trend exists only for hot Jupiters or holds for other types of planets. In this work, we extend the study of the obliquities of hot (6250–7000 K) stars with transiting super-Earth-sized and sub-Neptune-sized planets. We constrain the obliquity distribution based on measurements of the stars’ projected rotation velocities. Our sample consists of 170 TESS and Kepler planet-hosting stars and 180 control stars chosen to have indistinguishable spectroscopic characteristics. In our analysis, we find evidence suggesting that the planet hosts have a systematically higher $\langle \sin i\rangle $ compared to the control sample. This result implies that the planet hosts tend to have lower obliquities. However, the observed difference in $\langle \sin i\rangle $ is not significant enough to confirm spin–orbit alignment as it is 3.8 σ away from perfect alignment. We also find evidence that within the planet-hosting stars there is a trend of higher obliquity (lower $\langle \sin i\rangle $ ) for the hotter stars ( T _eff > 6250 K) than for the cooler stars in the sample. This suggests that hot stars hosting smaller planets exhibit a broader obliquity distribution ( $\langle \sin i\rangle =0.79\pm 0.053$ ) than cooler planet-hosting stars, indicating that high obliquities are not exclusive to hot Jupiters and instead are more broadly tied to hot stars.

We report the sky-projected spin–orbit angle λ for HD 191939 b, the innermost planet in a six-planet system, using Keck/KPF to detect the Rossiter–McLaughlin (RM) effect. Planet b is a sub-Neptune with radius 3.4 ± 0.8 R _⊕ and mass 10.0 ± 0.7 M _⊕ with an RM amplitude

We present optical spectroscopy of 710 solar neighborhood stars collected over 20 years to catalog chromospheric activity and search for stellar activity cycles. The California Legacy Survey stars are amenable to exoplanet detection using precise radial velocities, and we present their Ca ii H and K time series as a proxy for stellar and chromospheric activity. Using the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer at Keck Observatory, we measured stellar flux in the cores of the Ca ii H and K lines to determine S -values on the Mount Wilson scale and the $\mathrm{log}({R}_{\mathrm{HK}}^{{\prime} })$ metric, which is comparable across a wide range of spectral types. From the 710 stars, with 52,372 observations, 285 stars were sufficiently sampled to search for stellar activity cycles with periods of 2–25 yr, and 138 stars showed stellar cycles of varying length and amplitude. S -values can be used to mitigate stellar activity in the detection and characterization of exoplanets. We used them to probe stellar dynamos and to place the Sun's magnetic activity into context among solar neighborhood stars. Using precise stellar parameters and time-averaged activity measurements, we found tightly constrained cycle periods as a function of stellar temperature between $\mathrm{log}({R}_{\mathrm{HK}}^{{\prime} })$ of −4.7 and −4.9, a range of activity in which nearly every star has a periodic cycle. These observations present the largest sample of spectroscopically determined stellar activity cycles to date.

We present a new analysis of Kepler-21, the brightest ( V = 8.5) Kepler system with a known transiting exoplanet, Kepler-21 b. Kepler-21 b is a radius valley planet ( R = 1.6 ± 0.2 R _⊕ ) with an Earth-like composition (8.38 ± 1.62 g cm ^–3 ), though its mass and radius fall in the regime of possible “water worlds.” We utilize new Keck/High-Resolution Echelle Spectrometer and WIYN/NEID radial velocity (RV) data in conjunction with Kepler and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) photometry to perform a detailed study of activity mitigation between photometry and RVs. We additionally refine the system parameters, and we utilize Gaia astrometry to place constraints on a long-term RV trend. Our activity analysis affirms the quality of Kepler photometry for removing correlated noise from RVs, despite its temporal distance, though we reveal some cases where TESS may be superior. Using refined orbital parameters and updated composition curves, we rule out a water world scenario for Kepler-21 b, and we identify a long-period super-Jupiter planetary candidate, Kepler-21 (c).

Exoplanet discoveries have revealed a dramatic diversity of planet sizes across a vast array of orbital architectures. Sub-Neptunes are of particular interest; due to their absence in our own solar system, we rely on demographics of exoplanets to better understand their bulk composition and formation scenarios. Here, we present the discovery and characterization of TOI-1437 b, a sub-Neptune with a 18.84 day orbit around a near-solar analog ( M _⋆ = 1.10 ± 0.10 M _☉ , R _⋆ =1.17 ± 0.12 R _☉ ). The planet was detected using photometric data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission and radial velocity (RV) follow-up observations were carried out as a part of the TESS-Keck Survey using both the HIRES instrument at Keck Observatory and the Levy Spectrograph on the Automated Planet Finder telescope. A combined analysis of these data reveal a planet radius of R _p = 2.24 ± 0.23 R _⊕ and a mass measurement of M _p = 9.6 ± 3.9 M _⊕ ). TOI-1437 b is one of few (∼50) known transiting sub-Neptunes orbiting a solar-mass star that has a RV mass measurement. As the formation pathway of these worlds remains an unanswered question, the precise mass characterization of TOI-1437 b may provide further insight into this class of planet.

TOI-6255 b (GJ 4256) is an Earth-sized planet (1.079 ± 0.065 R _⊕ ) with an orbital period of only 5.7 hr. With the newly commissioned Keck Planet Finder and CARMENES spectrographs, we determine the planet’s mass to be 1.44 ± 0.14 M _⊕ . The planet is just outside the Roche limit, with P _orb / P _Roche = 1.13 ± 0.10. The strong tidal force likely deforms the planet into a triaxial ellipsoid with a long axis that is ∼10% longer than the short axis. Assuming a reduced stellar tidal quality factor ${Q}_{\star }^{{\prime} }\approx {10}^{7}$ , we predict that tidal orbital decay will cause TOI-6255 to reach the Roche limit in roughly 400 Myr. Such tidal disruptions may produce the possible signatures of planet engulfment that have been seen on stars with anomalously high refractory elemental abundances compared to their conatal binary companions. TOI-6255 b is also a favorable target for searching for star–planet magnetic interactions, which might cause interior melting and hasten orbital decay. TOI-6255 b is a top target (with an Emission Spectroscopy Metric of about 24) for phase-curve observations with the James Webb Space Telescope.

We report the discovery of a close-in ( P _orb = 3.349 days) warm Neptune with clear transit timing variations (TTVs) orbiting the nearby ( d = 47.3 pc) active M4 star, TOI-2015. We characterize the planet's properties using Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) photometry, precise near-infrared radial velocities (RVs) with the Habitable-zone Planet Finder Spectrograph, ground-based photometry, and high-contrast imaging. A joint photometry and RV fit yields a radius ${R}_{p}={3.37}_{-0.20}^{+0.15}\ {R}_{\oplus }$ , mass ${m}_{p}={16.4}_{-4.1}^{+4.1}\ {M}_{\oplus }$ , and density ${\rho }_{p}\,={2.32}_{-0.37}^{+0.38}\ {\rm{g}}\ {\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$ for TOI-2015 b, suggesting a likely volatile-rich planet. The young, active host star has a rotation period of P _rot = 8.7 ± 0.9 days and associated rotation-based age estimate of 1.1 ± 0.1 Gyr. Though no other transiting planets are seen in the TESS data, the system shows clear TTVs of super-period ${P}_{\sup }\approx 430\ \mathrm{days}$ and amplitude ∼100 minutes. After considering multiple likely period-ratio models, we show an outer planet candidate near a 2:1 resonance can explain the observed TTVs while offering a dynamically stable solution. However, other possible two-planet solutions—including 3:2 and 4:3 resonances—cannot be conclusively excluded without further observations. Assuming a 2:1 resonance in the joint TTV-RV modeling suggests a mass of ${m}_{b}={13.3}_{-4.5}^{+4.7}\ {M}_{\oplus }$ for TOI-2015 b and ${m}_{c}={6.8}_{-2.3}^{+3.5}\ {M}_{\oplus }$ for the outer candidate. Additional transit and RV observations will be beneficial to explicitly identify the resonance and further characterize the properties of the system.

The degree of alignment between a star’s spin axis and the orbital plane of its planets (the stellar obliquity) is related to interesting and poorly understood processes that occur during planet formation and evolution. Hot Jupiters orbiting hot stars (≳6250 K) display a wide range of obliquities, while similar planets orbiting cool stars are preferentially aligned. Tidal dissipation is expected to be more rapid in stars with thick convective envelopes, potentially explaining this trend. Evolved stars provide an opportunity to test the damping hypothesis, particularly stars that were hot on the main sequence and have since cooled and developed deep convective envelopes. We present the first systematic study of the obliquities of hot Jupiters orbiting subgiants that recently developed convective envelopes using Rossiter–McLaughlin observations. Our sample includes two newly discovered systems in the Giants Transiting Giants survey (TOI-6029 b, TOI-4379 b). We find that the orbits of hot Jupiters orbiting subgiants that have cooled below ∼6250 K are aligned or nearly aligned with the spin axis of their host stars, indicating rapid tidal realignment after the emergence of a stellar convective envelope. We place an upper limit for the timescale of realignment for hot Jupiters orbiting subgiants at ∼500 Myr. Comparison with a simplified tidal evolution model shows that obliquity damping needs to be ∼4 orders of magnitude more efficient than orbital period decay to damp the obliquity without destroying the planet, which is consistent with recent predictions for tidal dissipation from inertial waves excited by hot Jupiters on misaligned orbits.

Hot Neptunes, gaseous planets smaller than Saturn (∼3–8 R _⊕ ) with orbital periods less than 10 days, are rare. Models predict this is due to high-energy stellar irradiation stripping planetary atmospheres over time, often leaving behind only rocky planetary cores. Using our TESS full-frame-image pipeline giants in conjunction with Keck/HIRES radial velocity measurements, we present the discovery of TIC365102760 b, a 6.2 R _⊕ (0.55 R _J ), 19.2 M _⊕ (0.060 M _J ) planet transiting a red giant star every 4.21285 days. The old age and high equilibrium temperature yet remarkably low density of this planet ( ${\rho }_{p}={0.58}_{-0.20}^{+0.30}{\rho }_{{\rm{J}}}$ ) suggest that its gaseous envelope should have been stripped by high-energy stellar irradiation billions of years ago. The present-day planet mass and radius suggest the atmospheric stripping was slower than predicted. Unexpectedly low stellar activity and/or late-stage planet inflation could be responsible for the observed properties of this system. Further studies of this system with more precise photometry in multiple passbands will be capable of revealing more details of this planet’s atmosphere.

We confirm a massive sub-Neptune-sized planet on a P = 22.8 days orbit around the star TOI-1824 ( T _eff = 5200 K, V = 9.7 mag). TESS first identified TOI-1824 b (formerly TOI-1824.01) as an object of interest in 2020 April after two transits in Sector 22 were matched with a single transit in Sector 21. TOI-1824 was subsequently targeted for ground-based Doppler monitoring with Keck-HIRES and APF-Levy. Using a joint model of the TESS photometry, radial velocities, and Ca ii H and K emission measurements as an activity indicator, we find that TOI-1824 b is an unusually dense sub-Neptune. The planet has a radius R _p = 2.63 ± 0.15 R _⊕ and mass M _p = 18.5 ± 3.2 M _⊕ , implying a bulk density of 5.6 ± 1.4 g cm ^−3 . TOI-1824 b's mass and radius situate it near a small group of “superdense sub-Neptunes” ( R _p ≲ 3 R _⊕ and M _p ≳ 20 M _⊕ ). While the formation mechanism of superdense sub-Neptunes is a mystery, one possible explanation is the constructive collision of primordial icy cores; such giant impacts would drive atmospheric escape and could help explain these planets' apparent lack of massive envelopes. We discuss TOI-1824 b in the context of these overdense planets, whose unique location in the exoplanet mass–radius plane make them a potentially valuable tracer of planet formation.

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered hundreds of new worlds, with TESS planet candidates now outnumbering the total number of confirmed planets from Kepler. Owing to differences in survey design, TESS continues to provide planets that are better suited for subsequent follow-up studies, including mass measurement through radial velocity (RV) observations, compared to Kepler targets. In this work, we present the TESS-Keck Survey’s (TKS) Mass Catalog: a uniform analysis of all TKS RV survey data that has resulted in mass constraints for 126 planets and candidate signals. This includes 58 mass measurements that have reached ≥5 σ precision. We confirm or validate 32 new planets from the TESS mission either by significant mass measurement (15) or statistical validation (17), and we find no evidence of likely false positives among our entire sample. This work also serves as a data release for all previously unpublished TKS survey data, including 9,204 RV measurements and associated activity indicators over our three-year survey. We took the opportunity to assess the performance of our survey and found that we achieved many of our goals, including measuring the mass of 38 small (

We report on the discovery and validation of a transiting long-period mini-Neptune orbiting a bright ( V = 9.0 mag) G dwarf (TOI 4633; R = 1.05 R _⊙ , M = 1.10 M _⊙ ). The planet was identified in data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite by citizen scientists taking part in the Planet Hunters TESS project. Modelling of the transit events yields an orbital period of 271.9445 ± 0.0040 days and radius of 3.2 ± 0.20 R _⊕ . The Earth-like orbital period and an incident flux of ${1.56}_{-0.16}^{+0.20}$ F _⊕ places it in the optimistic habitable zone around the star. Doppler spectroscopy of the system allowed us to place an upper mass limit on the transiting planet and revealed a non-transiting planet candidate in the system with a period of 34.15 ± 0.15 days. Furthermore, the combination of archival data dating back to 1905 with new high angular resolution imaging revealed a stellar companion orbiting the primary star with an orbital period of around 230 yr and an eccentricity of about 0.9. The long period of the transiting planet, combined with the high eccentricity and close approach of the companion star makes this a valuable system for testing the formation and stability of planets in binary systems.

In order to understand the relationship between planet multiplicity, mass, and composition, we present newly measured masses of five planets in two planetary systems: Kepler-323 and Kepler-104. We used the HIRES instrument at the W.M. Keck Observatory to collect 79 new radial velocity (RV) measurements for Kepler-323, which we combined with 48 literature RVs from TNG/HARPS-N. We also conducted a reanalysis of the Kepler-104 system, using 44 previously published RV measurements. Kepler-323 b and c have masses of ${2.0}_{-1.1}^{+1.2}$ M _⊕ and 6.5±1.6 M _⊕ , respectively, whereas the three Kepler-104 planets are more massive (10.0±2.8 M _⊕ , ${7.1}_{-3.5}^{+3.8}$ M _⊕ , and ${5.5}_{-3.5}^{+4.6}$ M _⊕ for planets b, c, and d, respectively). The Kepler-104 planets have densities consistent with rocky cores overlaid with gaseous envelopes ( ${4.1}_{-1.1}^{+1.2}$ g cc ^−1 , ${2.9}_{-1.5}^{+1.7}$ g cc ^−1 , and ${1.6}_{-1.1}^{+1.5}$ g cc ^−1 respectively), whereas the Kepler-323 planets are consistent with having rocky compositions ( ${4.5}_{-2.4}^{+2.8}$ g cc ^−1 and ${9.9}_{-2.5}^{+2.7}$ g cc ^−1 ). The Kepler-104 system has among the lowest values for gap complexity ( ${ \mathcal C }$ = 0.004) and mass partitioning ( ${ \mathcal Q }$ = 0.03); whereas, the Kepler-323 planets have a mass partitioning similar to that of the Inner Solar System ( ${ \mathcal Q }$ = 0.28 and ${ \mathcal Q }$ = 0.24, respectively). For both exoplanet systems, the uncertainty in the mass partitioning is affected equally by (1) individual mass errors of the planets and (2) the possible existence of undetected low-mass planets, meaning that both improved mass characterization and improved sensitivity to low-mass planets in these systems would better elucidate the mass distribution among the planets.

The extreme environments of ultra-short-period planets (USPs) make excellent laboratories to study how exoplanets obtain, lose, retain, and/or regain gaseous atmospheres. We present the confirmation and characterization of the USP TOI-1347 b, a 1.8 ± 0.1 R _⊕ planet on a 0.85 day orbit that was detected with photometry from the TESS mission. We measured radial velocities of the TOI-1347 system using Keck/HIRES and HARPS-N and found the USP to be unusually massive at 11.1 ± 1.2 M _⊕ . The measured mass and radius of TOI-1347 b imply an Earth-like bulk composition. A thin H/He envelope (>0.01% by mass) can be ruled out at high confidence. The system is between 1 and 1.8 Gyr old; therefore, intensive photoevaporation should have concluded. We detected a tentative phase-curve variation (3 σ ) and a secondary eclipse (2 σ ) in TESS photometry, which, if confirmed, could indicate the presence of a high-mean-molecular-weight atmosphere. We recommend additional optical and infrared observations to confirm the presence of an atmosphere and investigate its composition.

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) continues to increase dramatically the number of known transiting exoplanets, and is optimal for monitoring bright stars amenable to radial velocity (RV) and atmospheric follow-up observations. TOI-1386 is a solar-type (G5V) star that was detected via TESS photometry to exhibit transit signatures in three sectors with a period of 25.84 days. We conducted follow-up RV observations using Keck/High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) as part of the TESS–Keck Survey, collecting 64 RV measurements of TOI-1386 with the HIRES spectrograph over 2.5 yr. Our combined fit of the TOI-1386 photometry and RV data confirm the planetary nature of the detected TESS signal, and provide a mass and radius for planet b of 0.148 ± 0.019 M _J and 0.540 ± 0.017 R _J , respectively, marking TOI-1386 b as a warm sub-Saturn planet. Our RV data further reveal an additional outer companion, TOI-1386 c, with an estimated orbital period of 227.6 days and a minimum mass of 0.309 ± 0.038 M _J . The dynamical modeling of the system shows that the measured system architecture is long-term stable, although there may be substantial eccentricity oscillations of the inner planet due to the dynamical influence of the outer planet.

Discovering and characterizing exoplanets at the outer edge of the transit method’s sensitivity has proven challenging owing to geometric biases and the practical difficulties associated with acquiring long observational baselines. Nonetheless, a sample of giant exoplanets on orbits longer than 100 days has been identified by transit hunting missions. We present long-term Doppler spectroscopy for 11 such systems with observation baselines spanning a few years to a decade. We model these radial velocity observations jointly with transit photometry to provide initial characterizations of these objects and the systems in which they exist. Specifically, we make new precise mass measurements for four long-period giant exoplanets (Kepler-111 c, Kepler-553 c, Kepler-849 b, and PH-2 b), we place new upper limits on mass for four others (Kepler-421 b, KOI-1431.01, Kepler-1513 b, and Kepler-952 b), and we show that several confirmed planets are in fact not planetary at all. We present these findings to complement similar efforts focused on closer-in short-period giant planets, and with the hope of inspiring future dedicated studies of cool giant exoplanets.

An intriguing pattern among exoplanets is the lack of detected planets between approximately 1.5 R _⊕ and 2.0 R _⊕ . One proposed explanation for this “radius gap” is the photoevaporation of planetary atmospheres, a theory that can be tested by studying individual planetary systems. Kepler-105 is an ideal system for such testing due to the ordering and sizes of its planets. Kepler-105 is a Sun-like star that hosts two planets straddling the radius gap in a rare architecture with the larger planet closer to the host star ( R _b = 2.53 ± 0.07 R _⊕ , P _b = 5.41 days, R _c = 1.44 ± 0.04 R _⊕ , P _c = 7.13 days). If photoevaporation sculpted the atmospheres of these planets, then Kepler-105b would need to be much more massive than Kepler-105c to retain its atmosphere, given its closer proximity to the host star. To test this hypothesis, we simultaneously analyzed radial velocities and transit-timing variations of the Kepler-105 system, measuring disparate masses of M _b = 10.8 ± 2.3 M _⊕ ( ρ _b = 3.68 ± 0.84 g cm ^−3 ) and M _c = 5.6 ± 1.2 M _⊕ ( ρ _c = 10.4 ± 2.39 g cm ^−3 ). Based on these masses, the difference in gas envelope content of the Kepler-105 planets could be entirely due to photoevaporation (in 76% of scenarios), although other mechanisms like core-powered mass loss could have played a role for some planet albedos.

We present a radial velocity (RV) analysis of TOI-1136, a bright Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) system with six confirmed transiting planets, and a seventh single-transiting planet candidate. All planets in the system are amenable to transmission spectroscopy, making TOI-1136 one of the best targets for intra-system comparison of exoplanet atmospheres. TOI-1136 is young (∼700 Myr), and the system exhibits transit timing variations (TTVs). The youth of the system contributes to high stellar variability on the order of 50 m s ^−1 , much larger than the likely RV amplitude of any of the transiting exoplanets. Utilizing 359 High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer and Automated Planet Finder RVs collected as part of the TESS-Keck Survey, and 51 High-Accuracy Radial velocity Planetary Searcher North RVs, we experiment with a joint TTV-RV fit. With seven possible transiting planets, TTVs, more than 400 RVs, and a stellar activity model, we posit that we may be presenting the most complex mass recovery of an exoplanet system in the literature to date. By combining TTVs and RVs, we minimized Gaussian process overfitting and retrieved new masses for this system: ( m _b−g = ${3.50}_{-0.7}^{+0.8}$ , ${6.32}_{-1.3}^{+1.1}$ , ${8.35}_{-1.6}^{+1.8}$ , ${6.07}_{-1.01}^{+1.09}$ , ${9.7}_{-3.7}^{+3.9}$ , ${5.6}_{-3.2}^{+4.1}$ M _⊕ ). We are unable to significantly detect the mass of the seventh planet candidate in the RVs, but we are able to loosely constrain a possible orbital period near 80 days. Future TESS observations might confirm the existence of a seventh planet in the system, better constrain the masses and orbital properties of the known exoplanets, and generally shine light on this scientifically interesting system.