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We present the detection of three exoplanets orbiting the early M dwarf TOI-663 (TIC 54962195;V= 13.7 mag,J= 10.4 mag,R_★= 0.512 ± 0.015R_⊙,M_★= 0.514 ± 0.012M_⊙,d= 64 pc). TOI-663 b, c, and d, with respective radii of 2.27 ± 0.10R_⊕, 2.26 ± 0.10R_⊕, and 1.92 ± 0.13R_⊕and masses of 4.45 ± 0.65M_⊕, 3.65 ± 0.97M_⊕, and <5.2M_⊕at 99%, are located just above the radius valley that separates rocky and volatile-rich exoplanets. The planet candidates are identified in two TESS sectors and are validated with ground-based photometric follow-up, precise radial-velocity measurements, and high-resolution imaging. We used the software package juliet to jointly model the photometric and radial-velocity datasets, with Gaussian processes applied to correct for systematics. The three planets discovered in the TOI-663 system are low-mass mini-Neptunes with radii significantly larger than those of rocky analogs, implying that volatiles, such as water, must predominate. In addition to this internal structure analysis, we also performed a dynamical analysis that confirmed the stability of the system. The three exoplanets in the TOI-663 system, similarly to other sub-Neptunes orbiting M dwarfs, have been found to have lower densities than planets of similar sizes orbiting stars of different spectral types. 

One of the main scientific goals of the TESS mission is the discovery of transiting small planets around the closest and brightest stars in the sky. Here, using data from the CARMENES, MAROON-X, and HIRES spectrographs together with TESS, we report the discovery and mass determination of aplanetary system around the M1.5 V star GJ 806 (TOI-4481). GJ 806 is a bright (V≈ 10.8mag,J≈ 7.3 mag) and nearby (d= 12 pc) M dwarf that hosts at least two planets. The innermost planet, GJ 806 b, is transiting and has an ultra-short orbital period of 0.93 d, a radius of 1.331 ± 0.023R_⊕, a mass of 1.90 ± 0.17M_⊕, a mean density of 4.40 ± 0.45 g cm⁻³, and an equilibrium temperature of 940 ± 10 K. We detect a second, non-transiting, super-Earth planet in the system, GJ 806 c, with an orbital period of 6.6 d, a minimum mass of 5.80 ± 0.30M_⊕, and an equilibrium temperature of 490 ± 5 K. The radial velocity data also shows evidence for a third periodicity at 13.6 d, although the current dataset does not provide sufficient evidence to unambiguously distinguish between a third super-Earth mass (Msini= 8.50 ± 0.45M_⊕) planet or stellar activity. Additionally, we report one transit observation of GJ 806 b taken with CARMENES in search of a possible extended atmosphere of H or He, but we can only place upper limits to its existence. This is not surprising as our evolutionary models support the idea that any possible primordial H/He atmosphere that GJ 806 b might have had would be long lost. However, the bulk density of GJ 806 b makes it likely that the planet hosts some type of volatile atmosphere. With transmission spectroscopy metrics (TSM) of 44 and emission spectroscopy metrics (ESM) of 24, GJ 806 b is to date the third-ranked terrestrial planet around an M dwarf suitable for transmission spectroscopy studies using JWST, and the most promising terrestrial planet for emission spectroscopy studies. GJ 806b is also an excellent target for the detection of radio emission via star-planet interactions. 

TOI-2015 is a known exoplanetary system around an M4 dwarf star, consisting of a transiting sub-Neptune planet in a 3.35-day orbital period, TOI-2015 b, accompanied by a non-transiting companion, TOI-2015 c. High-precision radial-velocity measurements were taken with the MAROON-X spectrograph, and high-precision photometric data were collected, primarily using the SPECULOOS, MUSCAT, TRAPPIST and LCOGT networks. We collected 63 transit light curves and 49 different transit epochs for TOI-2015 b. We recharacterized the target star by combining optical spectra obtained by the MAROON-X, Shane/KAST and IRTF/SpeX spectrographs, Bayesian model averaging (BMA) and spectral energy distribution (SED) analysis. The TOI-2015 host star is aK= 10.3 mag M4-type dwarf with a subsolar metallicity of [Fe/H] = −0.31 ± 0.16, and an effective temperature ofT_eff≈ 3200 K. Our photodynamical analysis of the system strongly favors the 5:3 mean-motion resonance and in this scenario the planet b (TOI-2015 b) has an orbital period ofP_b= 3.34 days, a mass ofM_p= 9.02_-0.36^+0.32M_⊕, and a radius ofR_p= 3.309_-0.011^+0.013R_⊕, resulting in a density ofρ_p= 0.25 ± 0.01ρ_⊕= 1.40 ± 0.06 g cm⁻³; this is indicative of a Neptune-like composition. Its transits exhibit large (> 1 hr) timing variations characteristic of an outer perturber in the system. We performed a global analysis of the high-resolution radial-velocity measurements, the photometric data, and the TTVs, and inferred that TOI-2015 hosts a second planet, TOI-2015 c, in a non-transiting configuration. Our analysis places it near a 5:3 resonance with an orbital period ofP_c= 5.583 days and a mass ofM_p= 8.91_-0.40^+0.38M_⊕. The dynamical configuration of TOI-2015 b and TOI-2015 c can be used to constrain the system’s planetary formation and migration history. Based on the mass-radius composition models, TOI-2015 b is a water-rich or rocky planet with a hydrogen-helium envelope. Moreover, TOI-2015 b has a high transmission-spectroscopic metric (TSM=149), making it a favorable target for future transmission spectroscopic observations with theJWSTto constrain the atmospheric composition of the planet. Such observations would also help to break the degeneracies in theoretical models of the planet’s interior structure. 

We validate the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) object of interest TOI-2266.01 (TIC 8348911) as a small transiting planet (most likely a super-Earth) orbiting a faint M5 dwarf (V= 16.54) on a 2.33 d orbit. The validation is based on an approach where multicolour transit light curves are used to robustly estimate the upper limit of the transiting object's radius. Our analysis uses SPOC-pipeline TESS light curves from Sectors 24, 25, 51, and 52, simultaneous multicolour transit photometry observed with MuSCAT2, MuSCAT3' and HiPERCAM, and additional transit photometry observed with the LCOGT telescopes. TOI-2266 b is found to be a planet with a radius of 1.54 ± 0.09R_⊕, which locates it at the edge of the transition zone between rocky planets, water-rich planets, and sub-Neptunes (the so-called M dwarf radius valley). The planet is amenable to ground-based radial velocity mass measurement with red-sensitive spectrographs installed in large telescopes, such as MAROON-X and Keck Planet Finder (KPF), which makes it a valuable addition to a relatively small population of planets that can be used to probe the physics of the transition zone. Further, the planet's orbital period of 2.33 days places it inside a ‘keystone planet’ wedge in the period-radius plane where competing planet formation scenarios make conflicting predictions on how the radius valley depends on the orbital period. This makes the planet also a welcome addition to the small population of planets that can be used to test small-planet formation scenarios around M dwarfs. 

Abstract Transmission spectroscopy^1–3of exoplanets has revealed signatures of water vapour, aerosols and alkali metals in a few dozen exoplanet atmospheres^4,5. However, these previous inferences with the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes were hindered by the observations’ relatively narrow wavelength range and spectral resolving power, which precluded the unambiguous identification of other chemical species—in particular the primary carbon-bearing molecules^6,7. Here we report a broad-wavelength 0.5–5.5 µm atmospheric transmission spectrum of WASP-39b⁸, a 1,200 K, roughly Saturn-mass, Jupiter-radius exoplanet, measured with the JWST NIRSpec’s PRISM mode⁹as part of the JWST Transiting Exoplanet Community Early Release Science Team Program^10–12. We robustly detect several chemical species at high significance, including Na (19σ), H₂O (33σ), CO₂(28σ) and CO (7σ). The non-detection of CH₄, combined with a strong CO₂feature, favours atmospheric models with a super-solar atmospheric metallicity. An unanticipated absorption feature at 4 µm is best explained by SO₂(2.7σ), which could be a tracer of atmospheric photochemistry. These observations demonstrate JWST’s sensitivity to a rich diversity of exoplanet compositions and chemical processes.