Abstract: We report the discovery of a warm sub-Saturn, TOI-257b (HD 19916b), based on data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The transit signal was detected by TESS and confirmed to be of planetary origin based on radial velocity observations. An analysis of the TESS photometry, the MINERVA-Australis, FEROS, and HARPS radial velocities, and the asteroseismic data of the stellar oscillations reveals that TOI-257b has a mass of M-P = 0.138 +/- 0.023M(J) (43.9 +/- 7.3 M-circle plus), a radius of R-P = 0.639 +/- 0.013 R-J (7.16 +/- 0.15 R-circle plus), bulk density of 0.65(-0.11)(+0.12) (cgs), and period 18.38818(-0.00084)(+0.00085) days. TOI-257b orbits a bright (V = 7.612 mag) somewhat evolved late F-type star with M-* = 1.390 +/- 0.046(Msun), R-* = 1.888 +/- 0.033 R-sun, T-eff = 6075 +/- 90 K, and vsin i = 11.3 +/- 0.5 kms(-1). Additionally, we find hints for a second non-transiting sub-Saturn mass planet on a similar to 71 day orbit using the radial velocity data. This system joins the ranks of a small number of exoplanet host stars (similar to 100) that have been characterized with asteroseismology. Warm sub-Saturns are rare in the known sample of exoplanets, and thus the discovery of TOI-257b is important in the context of future work studying the formation and migration history of similar planetary systems.

Abstract: We present 63 new multi-site radial velocity (RV) measurements of the K1III giant HD 76920, which was recently reported to host the most eccentric planet known to orbit an evolved star. We focused our observational efforts on the time around the predicted periastron passage and achieved near-continuous phase coverage of the corresponding RV peak. By combining our RV measurements from four different instruments with previously published ones, we confirm the highly eccentric nature of the system and find an even higher eccentricity of , an orbital period of 415.891(-0.039)(+0.043) d, and a minimum mass of 3.13(-0.43)(+0.41) M-J for the planet. The uncertainties in the orbital elements are greatly reduced, especially for the period and eccentricity. We also performed a detailed spectroscopic analysis to derive atmospheric stellar parameters, and thus the fundamental stellar parameters (M-*, R-*, L-*) taking into account the parallax from Gaia DR2, and independently determined the stellar mass and radius using asteroseismology. Intriguingly, at periastron, the planet comes to within 2.4 stellar radii of its host star's surface. However, we find that the planet is not currently experiencing any significant orbital decay and will not be engulfed by the stellar envelope for at least another 50-80 Myr. Finally, while we calculate a relatively high transit probability of 16%, we did not detect a transit in the TESS photometry.

Abstract: Aims. We investigate the atmospheric composition of the long-period (P-orb = 10 days) eccentric exo-Saturn WASP-117b. WASP-117b could be similar in atmospheric temperature and chemistry to WASP-107b. In mass and radius, WASP-117b is similar to WASP-39b, which allows a comparative study of these planets.Methods. We analyzed a near-infrared transmission spectrum of WASP-117b taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) WFC3 G141, which was reduced with two independent pipelines. High-resolution measurements were taken with VLT/ESPRESSO in the optical.Results. We report the robust (3 sigma) detection of a water spectral feature. In a 1D atmosphere model with isothermal temperature, uniform cloud deck, and equilibrium chemistry, the Bayesian evidence of a retrieval analysis of the transmission spectrum indicates a preference for a high atmospheric metallicity
[Fe/H] = 2.58(-0.37)(+0.26)
[Fe/H]=2.58-0.37+0.26 and clear skies. The data are also consistent with a lower metallicity composition [Fe/H] < 1.75 and a cloud deck between 10(-2.2) and 10(-5.1) bar, but with weaker Bayesian preference. We retrieve a low CH4 abundance of <10(-4) volume fraction within 1 sigma and <2 x 10(-1) volume fraction within 3<sigma>. We cannot constrain the equilibrium temperature between theoretically imposed limits of 700 and 1000 K. Further observations are needed to confirm quenching of CH4 with K-zz >= 10(8) cm(2) s(-1). We report indications of Na and K in the VLT/ESPRESSO high-resolution spectrum with substantial Bayesian evidence in combination with HST data.

Abstract: Context. The Multi-site All-Sky CAmeRA (MASCARA) and bRing are both photometric ground-based instruments with multiple stations that rely on interline charge-coupled devices with wide-field lenses to monitor bright stars in the local sky for variability. MASCARA has already discovered several planets in the northern sky, which are among the brightest known transiting hot Jupiter systems. Aims. In this paper, we aim to characterize a transiting planetary candidate in the southern skies found in the combined MASCARA and bRing data sets of HD 85628, an A7V star of V = 8.2 mag at a distance 172 pc, to establish its planetary nature. Methods. The candidate was originally detected in data obtained jointly with the MASCARA and bRing instruments using a Box Least-Square search for transit events. Further photometry was taken by the 0.7 m Chilean-Hungarian Automated Telescope (CHAT), and radial velocity measurements with the Fiber Dual Echelle Optical Spectrograph on the European Southern Observatory 1.0 m Telescope. High-resolution spectra during a transit were taken with the CTIO high-resolution spectrometer (CHIRON) on the Small and Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System 1.5 m telescope to target the Doppler shadow of the candidate. Results. We confirm the existence of a hot Jupiter transiting the bright A7V star HD 85628, which we co-designate as MASCARA-4b and bRing-1b. It is in an orbit of 2.824 days, with an estimated planet radius of 1.53(-0.04)(+0.07) R-Jup and an estimated planet mass of 3.1 +/- 0.9 M-Jup, putting it well within the planetary regime. The CHAT observations show a partial transit, reducing the probability that the transit was around a faint background star. The CHIRON observations show a clear Doppler shadow, implying that the transiting object is in a retrograde orbit with |lambda| = 244.9(-3.6)(+2.7)degrees. The planet orbits at a distance of 0.047 +/- 0.004 AU from the star and has a zero-albedo equilibrium temperature of 2100 +/- 100 K. In addition, we find that HD 85628 has a previously unreported stellar companion star in the Gaia DR2 data demonstrating common proper motion and parallax at 4.3 '' separation (projected separation similar to 740 AU), and with absolute magnitude consistent with being a K/M dwarf. Conclusions. MASCARA-4 b/bRing-1 b is the brightest transiting hot Jupiter known to date in a retrograde orbit. It further confirms that planets in near-polar and retrograde orbits are more common around early-type stars. Due to its high apparent brightness and short orbital period, the system is particularly well suited for further atmospheric characterization.

Abstract: We report the discovery of the massive hot Jupiter NGTS-13b by the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). The V = 12.7 host star is likely in the subgiant evolutionary phase with logg(*) = 4.04 +/- 0.05, T-eff = 5819 +/- 73 K, M-* = 1.30(-0.18)(+0.11) M-circle dot, and R-* = 1.79 +/- 0.06 R-circle dot. The NGTS detected a transiting planet with a period of P = 4.12 days around the star, which was later validated with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS; TIC 454069765). We confirm the planet using radial velocities from the CORALIE spectrograph. Using NGTS and TESS full-frame image photometry combined with CORALIE radial velocities, we determine NGTS-13b to have a radius of R-P = 1.142 +/- 0.046 R-Jup, a mass of M-P = 4.84 +/- 0.44 M-Jup, and an eccentricity of e = 0.086 +/- 0.034. Previous studies have suggested that similar to 4 M-Jup may be the border separating two formation scenarios (e.g., core accretion and disk instability) and that massive giant planets share similar formation mechanisms as lower-mass brown dwarfs. NGTS-13b is just above 4 M-Jup, making it an important addition to the statistical sample needed to understand the differences between various classes of substellar companions. The high metallicity of NGTS-13, [Fe/H] = 0.25 +/- 0.17, does not support previous suggestions that massive giants are found preferentially around lower metallicity host stars, but NGTS-13b does support findings that more massive and evolved hosts may have a higher occurrence of close-in massive planets than lower-mass unevolved stars.

Abstract: We present the confirmation of the eccentric warm giant planet TOI-201 b, first identified as a candidate in Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite photometry (Sectors 1-8, 10-13, and 27-28) and confirmed using groundbased photometry from Next Generation Transit Survey and radial velocities from FEROS, HARPS, CORALIE, and MINERVA-Australis. TOI-201 b orbits a young (0.87(-0.49)(+0.46)) and bright (V = 9.07 mag) F-type star with a 52.9781 day period. The planet has a mass of 0.42(-0.03)(+0.05) M-J, a radius of 1.008(-0.015)(+0.012) R-J, and an orbital eccentricity of 0.28(-0.09)(+0.06); it appears to still be undergoing fairly rapid cooling, as expected given the youth of the host star. The star also shows long-term variability in both the radial velocities and several activity indicators, which we attribute to stellar activity. The discovery and characterization of warm giant planets such as TOI-201 b are important for constraining formation and evolution theories for giant planets.

Abstract: About 1 out of 200 Sun-like stars has a planet with an orbital period shorter than one day: an ultrashort-period planet(1,2). All of the previously known ultrashort-period planets are either hot Jupiters, with sizes above 10 Earth radii (R-circle plus), or apparently rocky planets smaller than 2 R-circle plus. Such lack of planets of intermediate size (the `hot Neptune desert') has been interpreted as the inability of low-mass planets to retain any hydrogen/ helium (H/He) envelope in the face of strong stellar irradiation. Here we report the discovery of an ultrashort-period planet with a radius of 4.6 R-circle plus and a mass of 29 M-circle plus, firmly in the hot Neptune desert. Data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite(3) revealed transits of the bright Sun-like star LTT 9779 every 0.79 days. The planet's mean density is similar to that of Neptune, and according to thermal evolution models, it has a H/He-rich envelope constituting 9.0(-2.9)(+2.7) % of the total mass. With an equilibrium temperature around 2,000 K, it is unclear how this `ultrahot Neptune' managed to retain such an envelope. Follow-up observations of the planet's atmosphere to better understand its origin and physical nature will be facilitated by the star's brightness (V-mag = 9.8).

Abstract: We report the discovery of two transiting Neptunes by the HATSouth survey. The planet HATS-37Ab has a mass of 0.099 +/- 0.042 MJ (31.5.+/-.13.4M(circle dot)) and a radius of 0.606 +/- 0.016 R-J, and is on a P = 4.3315 day orbit around a V = 12.266 +/- 0.030 mag, 0.843(-0.012)(+0.017)M(circle dot) star with a radius of 0.877(-0.012)(+0.019) R-circle dot We also present evidence that the star HATS-37A has an unresolved stellar companion HATS-37B, with a photometrically estimated mass of 0.654 +/- 0.033.M-circle dot The planet HATS-38b has a mass of 0.074. 0.011MJ (23.5 +/- 3.5M(circle dot)) and a radius of 0.614 +/- 0.017 R-J, and is on a P = 4.3750 day orbit around a V = 12.411 +/- 0.030 mag, 0.890(-0.012)(+0.016) M-circle dot star with a radius of 1.105 +/- 0.016.R-circle dot Both systems appear to be old, with isochrone-based ages of 11.46(-1.45)(+0.79) Gyr, and 11.89 +/- 0.60 Gyr, respectively. Both HATS-37Ab and HATS-38b lie in the Neptune desert and are thus examples of a population with a low occurrence rate. They are also among the lowest-mass planets found from ground-based wide-field surveys to date.

Abstract: We present a new ground-based optical transmission spectrum of the ultrahot Jupiter WASP-103b (Teq=2484

Abstract: We report the period, eccentricity, and mass determination for the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) single-transit event candidate TOI-222, which displayed a single 3000 ppm transit in the TESS 2-min cadence data from Sector 2. We determine the orbital period via radial velocity measurements (P = 33.9 d), which allowed for ground-based photometric detection of two subsequent transits. Our data show that the companion to TOI-222 is a low-mass star, with a radius of 0.18(-0.10)(+0.39) R-circle dot and a mass of 0.23 +/- 0.01 M-circle dot. This discovery showcases the ability to efficiently discover long-period systems from TESS single-transit events using a combination of radial velocity monitoring coupled with high-precision ground-based photometry.