Star Vetter

TIC 334414710

An uncatalogued eclipsing-binary candidate from TESS.

Period aliasSurvivorP = 18.27047 d

Eclipsing-binary candidate: 18.2705-day period (twice the BLS period), a 16.89% primary eclipse, a 1.52% secondary eclipse at phase 0.571.

TIC 334414710 is a candidate eclipsing binary star with an orbital period of 18.270473 days, detected through automated analysis of TESS photometry. The primary eclipse produces a 9.94 percent dimming, while no secondary eclipse was detected. The signal has a high detection significance of 196.3 in the BLS periodogram, and pixel-level difference imaging confirms the eclipse with a peak signal-to-noise ratio of 35.6, though the centroid offset of 3.1 arcsec from the target raises a question about whether the signal originates precisely at the expected location. The candidate does not appear in six checked variable-star catalogs. However, an important caveat exists: the alternating eclipse depths show a large statistical deviation (z-score 32.84), suggesting the true orbital period may be double the initially detected value, which is why the corrected period of 18.270473 days is reported here.

Primary eclipsetotal light 0.837
Surface brightness ratio
0.09
Companion temperature
~3,310 K
Companion / star radius
~0.41
Face hidden at primary eclipse
~17%
Separation
~48 x the star's radius
Eccentricity
at least 0.111
Secondary eclipse phase
0.571 measured, 0.571 in this orbit

Zoomed: both stars drawn about 11x larger than their real size relative to the orbit, so they overlap for longer than the real eclipse lasts. A star's surface never gets dimmer during an eclipse - part of it is simply hidden. What drops is the total light we receive, shown exactly by the readout and bar below from the real light curve; the glow dims with it, exaggerated so small dips show. Colours follow temperature on a stellar colour scale, saturated so the differences show; the star's is its catalogue value (5,786 K). The companion's colour, sizes and orbit shape are estimates from the eclipse depths, duration and timing, assuming central eclipses and spherical stars - good to perhaps tens of percent. Only the relative orbit is shown; both stars really circle their common centre of mass. Animated about 65,774x faster than real on average, slowing down through each eclipse, and starting from where the system is in its orbit right now. Hover to pause.

  • Secondary2026-10-21 07:48 UTC
  • Primary2026-10-29 04:03 UTC
  • Secondary2026-11-08 14:17 UTC

Computed from the fitted ephemeris. Approximate - not corrected for your location or for light-travel time across Earth's orbit.

I

The signal

A repeating, consistent dip in brightness.

observed binned median residuals
0.850.900.951.001.051.100-0.4-0.20.00.20.4phase (P = 18.2705 d)relative flux

Residual scatter 0.442% (observed minus binned median).

!

Alternate eclipses differ in depth, so the true period is twice the search period.

Period
18.27047 d
Primary depth
16.89%
Secondary depth
1.52%
Epoch (T0)
1492.475 BTJD
Duration
4.08 h
II

The catalog check

Cross-matched against known variable-star catalogs to rule out anything already listed.

  • VSXNot found
  • ASAS-SNNot found
  • Gaia eclipsing-binary tableNot found
  • Gaia variable classificationNot found
  • TESS EB catalog (Prsa+2022)Not found
  • ExoFOP TOI listNot found

0/6 catalogs list a known variable at this position.

No known variable star or catalogued match at this position.

Catalogs checked
6
Matches
0
III

The pixel check

Confirms the dimming is on the target star, not a nearby source.

Out of eclipse
In eclipse
Difference (out - in)
+ target TIC 334414710x neighbour bright enough to cause the dipo other TIC starsO dimming centroid1 pixel = 21"

Out/in share one sqrt colour scale; in-eclipse = out-of-eclipse minus difference. TESS sector 7.

35.6
0.15 px3"
0.0025 phase
TIC 3344147081.56 px, dT 1.7
0.95
7

The dimming is centred on the target star. No nearby contaminant detected.

Centroid offset
0.15 px
Difference SNR
35.6
Capable neighbour
TIC 334414708
TESS sector
7
IV

The Gaia view

A second spacecraft's measurements: how far away the star is, how bright and what colour, and whether its position fits a single star.

The latest Gaia context file does not include this candidate yet, so there is no Gaia view to show.

V

The ground-survey check

An independent instrument, different years: does real ZTF photometry show the eclipse at the period TESS measured?

The latest ground-survey file does not include this candidate yet, so there is no independent ZTF check to show.

VI

Fold it yourself

Adjust the period and watch the eclipse appear.

0.850.900.951.001.051.10-0.4-0.20.00.20.4phaserelative flux
18.27047

Shown at the true period. The raw light curve needed to re-fold at other periods has not been exported yet - this slider unlocks automatically once it is.

The period the pipeline measured. Drag the slider away from it and the eclipse smears out.

True period
18.27047 d
BLS period
9.13524 d
Odd/even z
32.84
VII

Caveats

Known limitations and things to check.

  • Period alias:Odd/even eclipse-depth z-score is 32.84 (gate > 3.0): alternating eclipses differ significantly in depth, the signature of a true period double what BLS found. Pixel-check confirmation and eclipse timing are unaffected - report the corrected period, 18.270473 d, in any write-up.
VIII

Instrument

Raw values, fits and technical details.

Show raw data

Full statistics

18.27047 d
9.13524 dalias
16.89% +/- 0.08%seen 2/2
ML screening score
0.716logistic_regression
1.52% +/- 0.11%phase 0.571, 13 sigma
32.84> 3: alias
1.3057 dpower 0.06
4.1 h
Distance (TIC, Gaia-based)
808 pc+/- 18
14.08 / 13.63
5786 K / -
RA / Dec (J2000)
08h 11m 45.9s +07d 30m 21s
196.3 / 35.6
1,072 ptsover 24 d

Eclipse close-ups

Primary eclipse16.89%
0.850.900.951.00-10-50510hours from mid-eclipse
Secondary (phase 0.571)1.52%
0.850.900.951.00-10-50510hours from mid-eclipse

Same flux scale on both panels. Line: binned median. Shown in place of an orbit animation - this pipeline measures eclipses, it does not fit an orbit.

Period alias analysis

BLS period 9.1352 d
0.901.001.10-0.50.00.5
2x BLS 18.2705 d
0.901.001.10-0.50.00.5

Odd/even depth z = 32.84 (gate 3.0): alternate eclipses differ, so the true period is 2 x 9.1352 = 18.2705 d.

O - C timing

primary eclipses
too few in-eclipse points to build a template

Quick actions