A New Catalog of Stellar Rotation Periods for over a Million Stars

Astronomers have created TARS (TESS All-Sky Rotation Survey), the largest catalog of stellar rotation periods to date, measuring rotation for over 1 million stars within 1,600 light-years of Earth using data from NASA's TESS satellite. The catalog will advance research in stellar evolution, exoplanet discovery, and understanding the structure of the Milky Way, while also helping distinguish actual planetary signals from stellar activity that can mask exoplanet detection.