About

Gaspar Bakos is a Professor of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. His research focuses on astrophysics, and he is affiliated with the Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Peyton Hall. He is involved in teaching and mentoring students in the field of astrophysics, contributing to the academic community through his role as a faculty member. His contact information includes an office phone number, fax, email, and office location at Peyton Hall, and he maintains a professional webpage at Princeton University.

Research topics

• Physics
• Astronomy
• Computer Science
• Astrobiology
• Mathematics
• Geology
• Remote sensing
• Astrophysics

Selected publications

• T16 Transit Search Cycle 1 Candidates Vetting Plots

  Harvard Dataverse · 2026-01-20

  datasetOpen accessSenior author

  This dataset contains the vetting plots for the planet candidates identified by the TESS Cycle 1 T16 transit search. Each vetting plot summarizes the key diagnostics used in the candidate validation process, including the (phase-folded) light curve, periodograms, transit model fits, and image-based analyses. Due to upload limitations, the vetting plots are distributed across 40 compressed archives (vetting_plots_00.zip through vetting_plots_39.zip), each containing a subset of the full candidate sample. An additional archive (vetting_plots_singleTransits.zip) contains vetting plots for candidates exhibiting only a single detected transit. Individual vetting plots are named using the Gaia source identifier, allowing straightforward cross-matching with the candidate catalogs presented in the associated publication, which are included in this dataset as well. These data products are intended to enable independent inspection and validation of the reported candidates and to facilitate follow-up studies.

  PublisherDOI

• AutoWISP: Automated Processing of Wide-Field Color Images

  ArXiv.org · 2025-07-21

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  We have developed a software pipeline, AutoWISP, for extracting high-precision photometry from citizen scientists' observations made with consumer-grade color digital cameras (digital single-lens reflex, or DSLR, cameras), based on our previously developed tool, AstroWISP. The new pipeline is designed to convert these observations, including color images, into high-precision light curves of stars. We outline the individual steps of the pipeline and present a case study using a Sony-alpha 7R II DSLR camera, demonstrating sub-percent photometric precision, and highlighting the benefits of three-color photometry of stars. Project PANOPTES will adopt this photometric pipeline and, we hope, be used by citizen scientists worldwide. Our aim is for AutoWISP to pave the way for potentially transformative contributions from citizen scientists with access to observing equipment.

  PublisherOA PDF

• The T16 Project: Image Subtraction Light Curves from TESS Cycle 1 Full-frame Images for Stars with T < 16

  Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific · 2025-02-01 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract We present 83,717,159 light curves for 56,401,549 stars with T < 16 mag observed in the Full-Frame Images (FFIs) of Cycle 1 of the NASA TESS mission. These light curves were extracted from subtracted images produced by the Cluster Difference Imaging Survey. We make public the raw image subtraction light curves, together with light curves de-trended against instrumental systematics. We compare the light curves to other publicly available light curves from the TESS FFIs, finding that for a substantial fraction of stars with T < 16, the T16 project provides the highest precision FFI light curves available. We demonstrate that the detrended T16 light curves are generally as good as, or better than, than the light curves from other projects for the known TOIs. We also show that the un-detrended light curves can be used to study high amplitude variable stars. The light curves are being made available through the NASA Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes. Light curve production is underway for additional TESS Cycles.

  PublisherDOI

• A transiting giant planet in orbit around a 0.2-solar-mass host star

  Nature Astronomy · 2025-06-04 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Planet formation models indicate that the formation of giant planets is substantially harder around low-mass stars due to the scaling of protoplanetary disc masses with stellar mass. The discovery of giant planets orbiting such low-mass stars thus imposes strong constraints on giant planet formation processes. Here we report the discovery of a transiting giant planet orbiting a 0.207 ± 0.011 M ⊙ star. The planet, TOI-6894 b, has a mass and radius of M P = 0.168 ± 0.022 M J (53.4 ± 7.1 M ⊕ ) and R P = 0.855 ± 0.022 R J and probably includes 12 ± 2 M ⊕ of metals. The discovery of TOI-6894 b highlights the need for a better understanding of giant planet formation mechanisms and the protoplanetary disc environments in which they occur. The extremely deep transits (17% depth) make TOI-6894 b one of the most accessible exoplanetary giants for atmospheric characterization observations, which will be key for fully interpreting the formation history of this notable system and for the study of atmospheric methane chemistry.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Swarm of WASP Planets: Nine giant planets identified by the WASP survey

  ArXiv.org · 2025-04-10 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen access

  The Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) survey provided some of the first transiting hot Jupiter candidates. With the addition of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), many WASP planet candidates have now been revisited and given updated transit parameters. Here we present 9 transiting planets orbiting FGK stars that were identified as candidates by the WASP survey and measured to have planetary masses by radial velocity measurements. Subsequent space-based photometry taken by TESS as well as ground-based photometric and spectroscopic measurements have been used to jointly analyze the planetary properties of WASP-102 b, WASP-116 b, WASP-149 b WASP-154 b, WASP-155 b, WASP-188 b, WASP-194 b/HAT-P-71 b, WASP-195 b, and WASP-197 b. These planets have radii between 0.9 R_Jup and 1.4 R_Jup, masses between 0.1 M_Jup and 1.5 M_Jup, and periods between 1.3 and 6.6 days.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The T16 Project: Image Subtraction Light Curves from TESS Cycle 1 Full-Frame Images for Stars with T < 16

  ArXiv.org · 2025-02-19

  preprintOpen access

  We present 83,717,159 light curves for 56,401,549 stars with T < 16 mag observed in the Full-Frame Images (FFIs) of Cycle 1 of the NASA TESS mission. These light curves were extracted from subtracted images produced by the Cluster Difference Imaging Survey (CDIPS; Bouma et al. 2019). We make public the raw image subtraction light curves, together with light curves detrended against instrumental systematics. We compare the light curves to other publicly available light curves from the TESS FFIs, finding that for a substantial fraction of stars with T < 16, the T16 project provides the highest precision FFI light curves available. We demonstrate that the detrended T16 light curves are generally as good as, or better than, the light curves from other projects for the known TOIs. We also show that the un-detrended light curves can be used to study high amplitude variable stars. The light curves are being made available through the NASA Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST). Light curve production is underway for additional TESS Cycles.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Swarm of WASP Planets: Nine Giant Planets Identified by the WASP Survey

  The Astronomical Journal · 2025-05-27

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Abstract The Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) survey provided some of the first transiting hot Jupiter candidates. With the addition of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), many WASP planet candidates have now been revisited and given updated transit parameters. Here, we present nine transiting planets orbiting FGK stars that were identified as candidates by the WASP survey and found to have planetary masses via radial velocity measurements. Subsequent space-based photometry taken by TESS as well as ground-based photometric and spectroscopic measurements have been used to jointly analyze the planetary properties of WASP-102 b, WASP-116 b, WASP-149 b WASP-154 b, WASP-155 b, WASP-188 b, WASP-194 b/HAT-P-71 b, WASP-195 b, and WASP-197 b. These planets have radii between 0.9 R Jup and 1.4 R Jup , masses between 0.1 M Jup and 1.5 M Jup , and periods between 1.3 and 6.6 days.

  PublisherDOI

• A Compact Multiplanet System of Three Transiting Giant Planets around TIC 118798035

  The Astrophysical Journal Letters · 2025-12-11

  articleOpen access

  Abstract We report the discovery and characterization of three transiting giant planets in the TIC 118798035 system. The three planets were identified as transiting candidates from data of the TESS mission and confirmed with ground-based photometric transit observations along with radial velocity variations obtained with FEROS, HARPS, and ESPRESSO. The three planets present transit timing variations (TTVs). We performed an N -body orbital fitting to the TTVs and radial velocities, finding that TIC 118798035 b is a warm low-density Neptune with a mass of 0.0250 ± 0.0023 M J , a radius of 0.655 ± 0.018 R J , and an orbital period of 11.507 days; TIC 118798035 c is a warm Saturn with a mass of 0.403 ± 0.024 M J , a radius of 0.973 ± 0.023 R J , and an orbital period of 22.564 days; and TIC 118798035 d is a warm Jupiter with a mass of 0.773 ± 0.052 M J , a radius of 0.923 ± 0.044 R J , and an orbital period of 48.925 days. The bulk metallicities of the three planets do not fully follow the mass–metallicity correlation found for the giant planets of the solar system, which hints at a somewhat different formation history for the planets of the TIC 118798035 system.

  PublisherDOI

• AutoWISP: Automated Processing of Wide-field Color Images^*

  The Astronomical Journal · 2025-10-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract We have developed a software pipeline, AutoWISP, for extracting high-precision photometry from citizen scientists’ observations made with consumer-grade color digital cameras (digital single-lens reflex, or DSLR, cameras), based on our previously developed tool, AstroWISP. The new pipeline is designed to convert these observations, including color images, into high-precision light curves of stars. We outline the individual steps of the pipeline and present a case study using a Sony- α 7R II DSLR camera, demonstrating subpercent photometric precision, and highlighting the benefits of three-color photometry of stars. Project PANOPTES will adopt this photometric pipeline and, we hope, be used by citizen scientists worldwide. Our aim is for AutoWISP to pave the way for potentially transformative contributions from citizen scientists with access to observing equipment.

  PublisherDOI

• A Compact Multi-Planet System of Three Transiting Giant Planets Around TIC118798035

  ArXiv.org · 2025-10-22

  preprintOpen access

  We report the discovery and characterization of three transiting giant planets in the TIC118798035 system. The three planets were identified as transiting candidates from data of the TESS mission, and confirmed with ground-based photometric transit observations along with radial velocity variations obtained with FEROS, HARPS and ESPRESSO. The three planets present transit timing variations (TTVs). We performed a N-body orbital fitting to the TTVs and radial velocities finding that TIC118798035 b is as warm low-density Neptune with a mass of 0.0250$\pm$0.0023 $M_J$, a radius of 0.655$\pm$0.018 $R_J$, and an orbital period of 11.507 d; TIC118798035 c is a warm Saturn with a mass of 0.403$\pm$0.024 $M_J$, a radius of 0.973$\pm$0.023 $R_J$, and an orbital period of 22.564 d; and TIC118798035 d is a warm Jupiter with a mass of 0.773$\pm$0.052 $M_J$, a radius of 0.923$\pm$0.044 $R_J$, and an orbital period of 48.925 d. The bulk metallicities of the three planets don't fully follow the mass-metallicity correlation found for the giant planets of the solar system, which hints at a somewhat different formation history for the planets of the TIC118798035 system. TIC118798035 is the only system having more than two transiting planets larger than 0.5 $R_J$ with a precise orbital and physical characterization, amenable for future atmospheric studies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Discovering further transiting extrasolar planets with HATNet

  NSF · $214k · 2007–2010

• From Hot Jupiters to Super Earths with HATNet and HATSouth

  NSF · $763k · 2011–2014

Frequent coauthors

• J. D. Hartman

  272 shared

• Andrés Jordán

  Millennium Institute of Astrophysics

  189 shared

• Rafael Brahm

  Adolfo Ibáñez University

  160 shared

• Z. Csubry

  151 shared

• G. Kovács

  147 shared

• David W. Latham

  144 shared

• K. Penev

  144 shared

• R. W. Noyes

  Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian

  133 shared

Labs

• Gaspar BakosPI