TESS Research Articles

New Pulsating Variable Stars and Eclipsing Binaries in NGC 6871* *Dedicated to my wife Jingyun Zhang.

Leveraging publicly available Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite data, I conducted a small regional survey centered on the δ Scuti star V1821 Cyg in the open cluster NGC 6871, spanning a radius of 1°. This survey yielded a remarkable 1530 newly classified variable stars, encompassing: 198 eclipsing binary systems, 12 of which exhibit pulsating or rotating components, 105 γ Doradus stars, 116 δ Scuti stars, 526 rotating variable stars, and dozens of other types. It is not surprising that no RR Lyrae stars were found in this particular young open cluster.

Limits on the Detection of an Ultra-short-period Planet in the TOI-539 System

Characterized by their close proximity to their host stars and scorching surface temperatures, hot super-Earths represent a readily accessible population that can be used to study the atmospheres, surfaces, and formation of rocky exoplanets in great detail. We present our radial velocity (RV) data analysis for the star TOI-539, in search of the transiting ultra-short-period hot super-Earth planet candidate TOI-539.01 detected by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite mission. We constrain the planetary mass of TOI-539.01 at the 2.3σ level. Additionally, we perform injection-recovery tests to determine mass detection limits for potential planets in the RV data set. We suggest an intensive RV campaign with higher precision observations to obtain a precise mass measurement and confirmation of TOI-539.01.

TOI-5344 b: A Saturn-like Planet Orbiting a Super-solar Metallicity M0 Dwarf

We confirm the planetary nature of TOI-5344 b as a transiting giant exoplanet around an M0-dwarf star. TOI-5344 b was discovered with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite photometry and confirmed with ground-based photometry (the Red Buttes Observatory 0.6 m telescope), radial velocity (the Habitable-zone Planet Finder), and speckle imaging (the NN-Explore Exoplanet Stellar Speckle Imager). TOI-5344 b is a Saturn-like giant planet (ρ = 0.80 g cm−3) with a planetary radius of 9.7 ± 0.5 R ⊕ (0.87 ± 0.04 R Jup) and a planetary mass of (0.42 ). It has an orbital period of days and an orbital eccentricity of . We measure a high metallicity for TOI-5344 of [Fe/H] = 0.48 ± 0.12, where the high metallicity is consistent with expectations from formation through core accretion. We compare the metallicity of the M-dwarf hosts of giant exoplanets to that of M-dwarf hosts of nongiants (≲8 R ⊕). While the two populations appear to show different metallicity distributions, quantitative tests are prohibited by various sample caveats.

Photodynamical Modeling of the Compact, Multiply Eclipsing Systems KIC 5255552, KIC 7668648, KIC 10319590, and EPIC 220204960

We present photodynamical models of four eclipsing binary systems that show strong evidence of being members of higher-order multiple systems via their strong eclipse timing variations and/or via the presence of extra eclipse events. Three of these systems are from the main Kepler mission, and the other is from the K2 mission. We provide some ground-based radial velocities measurements for the three Kepler systems and make use of recent light curves from the TESS mission. Our sample consists of two 2 + 1 systems and two 2 + 2 systems. The first 2 + 1 system, KIC 7668648, consists of an eclipsing binary (Pbin = 27.8 days) with late-type stars (M1=0.8403±0.0090M⊙, R1=1.0066±0.0036R⊙ and M2=0.8000±0.0085M⊙, R2=0.8779±0.0032R⊙) with a low-mass star (M3=0.2750±0.0029M⊙, R3=0.2874±0.0010R⊙) on a roughly coplanar outer orbit (P3=208 days). There are several eclipse events involving the third star that allow for the precise determination of the system parameters. The second 2 + 1 system, KIC 10319590, consists of a binary (Pbin=21.3 days) with late-type stars (M1=1.108±0.043M⊙, R1=1.590±0.019R⊙ and M2=0.743±0.023M⊙, R2=0.7180±0.0086R⊙) that stopped eclipsing about a third of the way into the nominal Kepler mission. We show here that the third star in this system is a Sun-like star (M3=1.049±0.038M⊙, R3=1.39±0.11R⊙) on an inclined outer orbit (P3=456 days). In this case, there are no extra eclipse events. We present the first comprehensive solution for KIC 5255552 and demonstrate that it is a 2 + 2 system consisting of an eclipsing binary (Pbin,1=32.5 days) with late-type stars (M1=0.950±0.018M⊙, R1=0.9284±0.0063R⊙ and M2=0.745±0.014M⊙, R2=0.6891±0.0051R⊙) paired with a non-eclipsing binary (Pbin,2=33.7 days) with somewhat lower-mass stars (M3=0.483±0.010M⊙, R3=0.4640±0.0036R⊙ and M4=0.507±0.010M⊙, R4=0.4749±0.0031R⊙). The two binaries, which have nearly coplanar orbits, orbit their common barycenter on a roughly aligned outer orbit (Pout=878 days). There are extra eclipse events involving the component stars of the non-eclipsing binary, which leads to relatively small uncertainties in the system parameters. The second 2 + 2 system, EPIC 220204960, consists of a pair of eclipsing binaries (Pbin,2=13.3 days, Pbin,2=14.4 days) that both consist of two low-mass stars (M1=0.54M⊙, R1=0.46R⊙, M2=0.46M⊙, R2=0.37R⊙ and M3=0.38M⊙, R3=0.40R⊙, M4=0.38M⊙, R4=0.37R⊙) that orbit their common barycenter on a poorly determined outer orbit. Because of the relatively short time span of the observations (≈80 days for the photometry and ≈70 days for the radial velocity measurements), the masses and radii of the four stars in EPIC 220204960 can only be determined with accuracies of ≈10% and ≈5%, respectively. We show that the most likely period of the outer orbit is 957 days, with a 1σ range of 595 to 1674 days. We can only place weak constraints on the mutual inclinations of the orbital planes, and additional radial velocity measurements and/or additional eclipse observations would allow for much tighter constraints on the properties of the outer orbit.

The Abrupt Resumptions of Pulsations in α Cygni (Deneb)

Paddock’s 1927–1935 radial velocities of α Cygni (Deneb) show semi-regular pulsations with a dominant period of about 12 days. Lucy found many periods of lesser amplitude. In Paddock’s data and subsequent 1956 data from Abt, after the large-amplitude pulsations seemed to damp down, abruptly new sets of pulsations started within a fraction of a day. Five of those resumptions occurred with intervals averaging 72.4 ± 0.3 days. These resumptions seem to start at any phase during the pulsations. We are unaware of this behavior in any other star. We also find evidence of this behavior in the 1977–1982 radial velocity data of Parthasarathy & Lambert and the 1997–2001 photometry/radial velocity data of Richardson et al., as well as in photometric data from the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) spacecraft and ground-based visual observations in the AAVSO International Database. The ground-based data have too infrequent sampling intervals to confirm the ∼70-day resumption intervals or to pinpoint the day and phase of abrupt amplitude increase. The TESS data, with 2-minute cadence, shows one instance of pulsation resumption, but does not have a long enough time series to confirm a ​​​​​70-day interval. Without any evidence for duplicity, we cannot explain this behavior as being due to a companion in a highly eccentric orbit. α Cygni is one of the Luminous Blue Variables (supergiants) and these resumptions may be related to the microvariations produced in convective layers below their atmospheres, pulsation-driven shocks and rarefactions, or pulsation-convection interactions. We encourage further observations by ground-based observers and using the TESS spacecraft to confirm the ∼70-day resumption interval and lack of correlation with pulsation phase in both radial velocity and light curve data.

A Possible Mechanism for the “Late Phase” in Stellar White-light Flares

M dwarf flares observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) sometimes exhibit a peak-bump light-curve morphology, characterized by a secondary, gradual peak well after the main, impulsive peak. A similar late phase is frequently detected in solar flares observed in the extreme ultraviolet from longer hot coronal loops distinct from the impulsive flare structures. White-light emission has also been observed in off-limb solar flare loops. Here, we perform a suite of one-dimensional hydrodynamic loop simulations for M dwarf flares inspired by these solar examples. Our results suggest that coronal plasma condensation following impulsive flare heating can yield high electron number density in the loop, allowing it to contribute significantly to the optical light curves via free-bound and free–free emission mechanisms. Our simulation results qualitatively agree with TESS observations: the longer evolutionary timescale of coronal loops produces a distinct, secondary emission peak; its intensity increases with the injected flare energy. We argue that coronal plasma condensation is a possible mechanism for the TESS late-phase flares.

Characterizing the Near-infrared Spectra of Flares from TRAPPIST-1 during JWST Transit Spectroscopy Observations

We present the first analysis of JWST near-infrared spectroscopy of stellar flares from TRAPPIST-1 during transits of rocky exoplanets. Four flares were observed from 0.6–2.8 μm with the Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph and 0.6–3.5 μm with the Near Infrared Spectrograph during transits of TRAPPIST-1b, f, and g. We discover Pα and Brβ line emission and characterize flare continuum at wavelengths from 1–3.5 μm for the first time. Observed lines include Hα, Pα–Pϵ, Brβ, He i λ0.7062 μm, two Ca ii infrared triplet (IRT) lines, and the He i IRT. We observe a reversed Paschen decrement from Pα–Pγ alongside changes in the light-curve shapes of these lines. The continuum of all four flares is well described by blackbody emission with an effective temperature below 5300 K, lower than the temperatures typically observed at optical wavelengths. The 0.6–1 μm spectra were convolved with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) response, enabling us to measure the flare rate of TRAPPIST-1 in the TESS bandpass. We find flares of 1030 erg, large enough to impact transit spectra occur at a rate of flare day−1, ∼10× higher than previous predictions from K2. We measure the amount of flare contamination at 2 μm for the TRAPPIST-1b and f transits to be 500 ± 450 and 2100 ± 400 ppm, respectively. We find up to 80% of flare contamination can be removed, with mitigation most effective from 1.0–2.4 μm. These results suggest transits affected by flares may still be useful for atmospheric characterization efforts.

A Blind Search for Transit Depth Variability with TESS

The phenomenon of transit depth variability offers a pathway through which processes such as exoplanet atmospheric activity and orbital dynamics can be studied. In this work we conduct a blind search for transit depth variations among 330 known planets observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite within its first four years of operation. Through an automated periodogram analysis, we identify four targets (KELT-8b, HAT-P-7b, HIP 65 Ab, and TrES-3b) that appear to show significant transit depth variability. We find that KELT-8b’s transit depth variability likely comes from contaminating flux from a nearby star, while the apparent variabilities of HIP 65 Ab and TrES-3b are probable artifacts due to their grazing orbits. HAT-P-7b indicates signs of variability that possibly originate from the planet or its host star. A population-level analysis does not reveal any significant correlation between transit depth variability and the effective temperature and mass of the host star; such correlation could arise if stellar activity was the cause of depth variations via the transit light source effect. Extrapolating our ∼1% detection rate to the upcoming Roman mission, predicted to yield of order 100,000 transiting planets, we expect that ∼1000 of these targets will be found to exhibit significant transit depth variability.

The Rapid Optical Variability of the Nearby Radio-loud AGN Pictor A: Introducing the Quaver Pipeline for AGN Science with TESS

The sampling strategy of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) makes TESS light curves extremely valuable for investigating the high cadence optical variability of active galactic nuclei (AGN). However, because the TESS instrument was primarily designed for exoplanet science, the use of the satellite for other applications requires careful treatment of the data. In this paper, we introduce Quaver, a new software tool designed specifically to extract TESS light curves of extended and faint sources presenting stochastic variability. We then use this new tool to extract light curves of the nearby radio-loud AGN Pictor A, and perform a temporal and power spectral analysis of its high-cadence optical variability. The obtained light curves are well fit with a damped random walk (DRW) model, exhibiting both stochastic AGN variations and flaring behavior. The DRW characteristic timescales are τ DRW ∼ 3–6 days during more quiet periods, and τ DRW ∼ 0.8 day for periods with strong flares, even when the flares themselves are masked from the DRW fit. The observed timescales are consistent with the dynamical, orbital, and thermal timescales expected for the low black hole mass of Pictor A.

UOCS – XI. Study of blue straggler stars in open cluster NGC 7142 using UVIT/AstroSat

ABSTRACT We present a study of blue straggler stars (BSSs) of open cluster NGC 7142 using AstroSat/UVIT data and other archival data. Using a machine-learning-based algorithm, ML-MOC, on Gaia DR3 data, we find 546 sources as cluster members. Based on the location on the Gaia colour–magnitude diagram, we identify 10 BSS candidates, also detected in UVIT/F148W filter. We study the variable nature of BSSs by constructing their light curves using the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite data. Two BSSs reported as eclipsing binaries in Gaia DR3 are confirmed to be eclipsing binaries based on our analysis and also show the presence of hot companions as per the multiwavelength spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The physical parameters of the hot companions of these two BSSs derived by fitting binary models to their light curves and those derived from the SEDs are found to be in good agreement. Additionally, five more BSSs in the cluster shows UV excess, four of which are likely to have a hot companion based on SEDs. The hot companions with the estimated temperatures ∼14 000–28 000 K, radii ∼0.01–0.05 R⊙, and luminosities ∼0.03–0.1 L⊙ are inferred to be extremely low-mass (<0.2 M⊙), low-mass (0.2–0.4 M⊙), normal-mass (0.4–0.6 M⊙), and high-mass (>0.6 M⊙) white dwarfs (WDs). For the first time in an open cluster, we find the entire range of masses in WDs found as hot companions of BSSs. These masses imply that the Case-A/Case-B mass transfer and merger are responsible for the formation of at least 60 per cent of the BSSs of this cluster.

Optical quasi-periodic oscillations in the TESS light curves of three blazars

ABSTRACT We report the time series analysis of Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite light curves of three blazars, BL Lacertae (BL Lac), 1RXS J111741.0+254858, and 1RXS J004519.6+212735, obtained using a customized approach for extracting active galactic nucleus light curves. We find tentative evidence for quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in these light curves that range from 2 to 6 d. Two methods of analysis are used for assessing their significance: generalized Lomb–Scargle periodograms and weighted wavelet Z-transforms. The different approaches of these methods together ensure a robust measurement of the significance of the claimed periodicities. We can attribute the apparent QPOs to the kink instability model, which postulates that the observed QPOs are related to the temporal growth of kinks in the magnetized relativistic jet. We confirm the application of this model to BL Lac and extend the kink instability model to the other two BL Lac objects.

Period variability in the pulsating Extreme Helium stars V652 Her and BX Cir

ABSTRACT Eighteen new timings of maxima of the radially pulsating Extreme Helium star, V652 Her, obtained during 2010–2023 are reported, together with 26 new timings of the very similar star, BX Cir, during 2014–2023. New ephemerides are derived from baselines which are now substantially longer than previously published. Both ephemerides are thus refined and, in the case of BX Cir, we find for the first time evidence of a cubic term (the period change rate is decreasing). BX Cir data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) reveals a previously unreported frequency near 65 μHz (period ∼ 0.179 d) with amplitude ∼0.002 mag.

BD UMi: Eccentric detached binary with [formula omitted] Doradus type component

BD UMi is an Algol-type eccentric eclipsing binary with one of the components showing γ Doradus type pulsation. In this study we used the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) observations of the BD UMi system published in total of 16 sectors. We obtained the minima times of the eclipsing system and refined new light elements by using (O−C) technique. Out-of-eclipse variation related to the pulsation was analysed in the frequency domain and g-mode pulsations were detected at frequencies <2d−1. We analysed the light curve of the system and obtained the physical and geometrical parameters of the components by using the well-known Wilson–Devinney code.We found that the amplitude and frequency of the pulsation are variable and obtained three significant frequency as f1=0.588d−1, f2=0.746d−1, and f3=0.140d−1 which can be used as mean frequencies of the pulsator.We found that the primary component is a γ Doradus type star. In this work the BD UMi system has been analysed in detail for the first time and we obtained masses and radii of the primary and secondary components as M1=1.743±0.011M⊙, M2=1.734±0.014M⊙ and R1=1.937±0.004R⊙, R2=1.266±0.002R⊙, respectively.

Giant Outer Transiting Exoplanet Mass (GOT ’EM) Survey. III. Recovery and Confirmation of a Temperate, Mildly Eccentric, Single-transit Jupiter Orbiting TOI-2010

Large-scale exoplanet surveys like the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission are powerful tools for discovering large numbers of exoplanet candidates. Single-transit events are commonplace within the resulting candidate list due to the unavoidable limitation of the observing baseline. These single-transit planets often remain unverified due to their unknown orbital periods and consequent difficulty in scheduling follow-up observations. In some cases, radial velocity (RV) follow up can constrain the period enough to enable a future targeted transit detection. We present the confirmation of one such planet: TOI-2010 b. Nearly three years of RV coverage determined the period to a level where a broad window search could be undertaken with the Near-Earth Object Surveillance Satellite, detecting an additional transit. An additional detection in a much later TESS sector solidified our final parameter estimation. We find TOI-2010 b to be a Jovian planet (M P = 1.29 M Jup, R P = 1.05 R Jup) on a mildly eccentric orbit (e = 0.21) with a period of P = 141.83403 days. Assuming a simple model with no albedo and perfect heat redistribution, the equilibrium temperature ranges from about 360 to 450 K from apastron to periastron. Its wide orbit and bright host star (V = 9.85) make TOI-2010 b a valuable test bed for future low-insolation atmospheric analysis.

No Evidence for More Earth-sized Planets in the Habitable Zone of Kepler's M versus FGK Stars

Reliable detections of Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone remain elusive in the Kepler sample, even for M dwarfs. The Kepler sample was once thought to contain a considerable number of M-dwarf stars (T eff < 4000 K), which hosted enough Earth-sized ([0.5, 1.5] R ⊕) planets to estimate their occurrence rate (η ⊕) in the habitable zone. However, updated stellar properties from Gaia have shifted many Kepler stars to earlier spectral type classifications, with most stars (and their planets) now measured to be larger and hotter than previously believed. Today, only one partially reliable Earth-sized candidate remains in the optimistic habitable zone, and zero in the conservative zone. Here we performed a new investigation of Kepler's Earth-sized planets orbiting M-dwarf stars, using occurrence rate models with considerations of updated parameters and candidate reliability. Extrapolating our models to low instellations, we found an occurrence rate of for the conservative habitable zone (and for the optimistic one), consistent with previous works when considering the large uncertainties. Comparing these estimates to those from similarly comprehensive studies of Sun-like stars, we found that the current Kepler sample does not offer evidence to support an increase in η ⊕ from FGK to M stars. While the Kepler sample is too sparse to resolve an occurrence trend between early and mid- to late M dwarfs for Earth-sized planets, studies including larger planets and/or data from the K2 and TESS missions are well suited to this task.

Prospects from TESS and Gaia to Constrain the Flatness of Planetary Systems

The mutual inclination between planets orbiting the same star provides key information to understand the formation and evolution of multiplanet systems. In this work, we investigate the potential of Gaia astrometry in detecting and characterizing cold Jupiters in orbits exterior to the currently known Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) planet candidates. According to our simulations, out of the ∼3350 systems expected to have cold Jupiter companions, Gaia, by its nominal 5 yr mission, should be able to detect ∼200 cold Jupiters and measure the orbital inclinations with a precision of in ∼120 of them. These numbers are estimated under the assumption that the orbital orientations of the CJs follow an isotropic distribution, but these only vary slightly for less broad distributions. We also discuss the prospects from radial velocity follow-ups to better constrain the derived properties and provide a package to do quick forecasts using our Fisher matrix analysis. Overall, our simulations show that Gaia astrometry of cold Jupiters orbiting stars with TESS planets can distinguish dynamically cold (mean mutual inclination ≲5°) from dynamically hot systems (mean mutual inclination ≳20°), placing a new set of constraints on their formation and evolution.

TESS giants transiting giants V – two hot Jupiters orbiting red giant hosts

ABSTRACT In this work, we present the discovery and confirmation of two hot Jupiters orbiting red giant stars, TOI-4377 b and TOI-4551 b, observed by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite in the Southern ecliptic hemisphere and later followed-up with radial-velocity (RV) observations. For TOI-4377 b, we report a mass of $0.957^{+0.089}_{-0.087} \ M_\mathrm{J}$ and a inflated radius of 1.348 ± 0.081 RJ orbiting an evolved intermediate-mass star (1.36 M⊙ and 3.52 R⊙; TIC 394918211) on a period of of 4.378 d. For TOI-4551 b, we report a mass of 1.49 ± 0.13 MJ and a radius that is not obviously inflated of $1.058^{+0.110}_{-0.062} \ R_\mathrm{J}$, also orbiting an evolved intermediate-mass star (1.31 M⊙ and 3.55 R⊙; TIC 204650483) on a period of 9.956 d. We place both planets in context of known systems with hot Jupiters orbiting evolved hosts, and note that both planets follow the observed trend of the known stellar incident flux-planetary radius relation observed for these short-period giants. Additionally, we produce planetary interior models to estimate the heating efficiency with which stellar incident flux is deposited in the planet’s interior, estimating values of $1.91 \pm 0.48~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ and $2.19 \pm 0.45~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for TOI-4377 b and TOI-4551 b, respectively. These values are in line with the known population of hot Jupiters, including hot Jupiters orbiting main-sequence hosts, which suggests that the radii of our planets have re-inflated in step with their parent star’s brightening as they evolved into the post-main sequence. Finally, we evaluate the potential to observe orbital decay in both systems.

Verification of Gaia Data Release 3 Single-lined Spectroscopic Binary Solutions With Three Transiting Low-mass Secondaries

While secondary mass inferences based on single-lined spectroscopic binary (SB1) solutions are subject to degeneracies, this degeneracy can be lifted through the observations of eclipses. We combine the subset of Gaia Data Release 3 SB1 solutions consistent with brown dwarf-mass secondaries with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Object of Interest (TOI) list to identify three candidate transiting brown dwarf systems. Ground-based precision radial velocity follow-up observations confirm that TOI-2533.01 is a transiting brown dwarf with orbiting TYC 2010-124-1 and that TOI-5427.01 is a transiting very low-mass star with orbiting UCAC4 515-012898. We validate TOI-1712.01 as a very low-mass star with transiting the primary in the hierarchical triple system BD+45 1593. Even after accounting for third light, TOI-1712.01 has a radius nearly a factor of 2 larger than predicted for isolated stars with similar properties. We propose that the intense instellation experienced by TOI-1712.01 diminishes the temperature gradient near its surface, suppresses convection, and leads to its inflated radius. Our analyses verify Gaia DR3 SB1 solutions in the low Doppler semiamplitude limit, thereby providing the foundation for future joint analyses of Gaia radial velocities and Kepler, K2, TESS, and PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations light curves for the characterization of transiting massive brown dwarfs and very low-mass stars.

Revisiting the Transit Timing and Atmosphere Characterization of the Neptune-mass Planet HAT-P-26 b

We present a transit-timing variation (TTV) and planetary atmosphere analysis of the Neptune-mass planet HAT-P-26 b. We present a new set of 13 transit light curves from optical ground-based observations and combine them with light curves from the Wide Field Camera 3 on the Hubble Space Telescope, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, and previously published ground-based data. We refine the planetary parameters of HAT-P-26 b and undertake a TTV analysis using 33 transits obtained over seven years. The TTV analysis shows an amplitude signal of 1.98 ± 0.05 minutes, which could result from the presence of an additional ∼0.02 M Jup planet at a 1:2 mean-motion resonance orbit. Using a combination of transit depths spanning optical to near-infrared wavelengths, we find that the atmosphere of HAT-P-26 b contains % H2O with a derived temperature of K.

Planetary perturbers: flaring star–planet interactions in Kepler and TESS

ABSTRACT In many star–planet systems discovered so far, the innermost planet orbits within only a few stellar radii. In these systems, planets could become in situ probes of the extended stellar magnetic field. Because they disturb the field as they move, they are expected to trigger flares in the corona. Potential differences to the energies and morphologies of intrinsic flares are poorly constrained. However, as we expect planet-induced flares to correlate with the planet’s orbital period, we can identify them from a clustering of flares in phase with the planet’s orbit. We used the excellent phase coverage from Kepler and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to find flaring star–planet systems, compile a catalogue of all their flares, and measure how much they cluster in orbital phase. In the 1811 searched systems, we found 25 single stars with three or more flares each. We quantified the significance of the clustering in each system, and compared it against the theoretically expected power of magnetic interaction that leads to planet-induced flaring. Most systems do not show any clustering, consistent with low expected power. Those we expect to show clustering fall on two branches. An inactive one, without any signs of clustering, and a tentative active one, where the clustering becomes more pronounced as the expected power of interaction increases. The flares in HIP 67522 are prominently clustered (p &amp;lt; 0.006). This young hot Jupiter system is the most promising candidate for magnetic star–planet interaction in our sample.