


Overlay of Year 1-4+ pointings in ecliptic coordinates (upper image) and celestial coordinates (lower image).
Current Status
TESS is currently observing in Orbit 75, Sector 34. Sector 34 will be observed through February 8.
Starting with Orbit 73, the average observing time per orbit has dropped to 12 days, as opposed to the 13 days per orbit through Sector 32. This is a consequence of natural evolution of the TESS orbit through the Kozai mechanism combined with the schedule of contacts for downlinks at perigee. The average of 12 days per orbit will persist through Sector 37. Scattered light levels continue to be low and restricted to periods near perigee through Sector 35.

(image shamelessly borrowed from tasoc.dk)
Observations of Two-Minute Cadence Targets for Years 1+2
The images below are plots of all targets observed at two-minute cadence through Sector 26: at left, in celestial coordinates, and at right, in ecliptic coordinates. The dots are color-coded to indicate the number of sectors each target was observed.


Sector Pointings for Years 1-4+
The tables below contains the details of TESS spacecraft orientation for Years 1-4+. Year 4+ is longer than one year: it comprises 16 sectors, rather than 13. Columns are Sector number, Start and End dates of Sector, then (RA, dec, roll) in degrees (J2000) of the spacecraft and four camera boresights. Note: All future values are provisional and may be changed, although there are currently no plans to do so.
The full table of Year 1-4+ pointings, at higher precision than what is shown below, can be downloaded here.
Year 1
Observations during Year 1 comprised Sectors 1-13. For each of these sectors, the instrument boresight was pointed at an ecliptic declination of -54°.


Sector | Dates | Spacecraft | Camera 1 | Camera 2 | Camera 3 | Camera 4 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 07/25/18-08/22/18 | 352.68, -64.85, 222.15 | 324.57, -33.17, 289.92 | 338.58, -55.08, 299.88 | 19.49, -71.98, 157.19 | 90.00, -66.56, 224.19 |
2 | 08/22/18-09/20/18 | 16.56, -54.02, 220.43 | 352.08, -23.06, 294.47 | 5.70, -44.31, 302.18 | 33.36, -62.19, 144.76 | 90.00, -66.57, 196.63 |
3 | 09/20/18-10/18/18 | 36.31, -44.26, 213.04 | 17.17, -12.22, 293.55 | 28.46, -33.91, 298.06 | 47.39, -53.85, 131.45 | 90.00, -66.57, 169.06 |
4 | 10/18/18-11/15/18 | 55.01, -36.64, 202.83 | 41.81, -2.76, 288.16 | 49.88, -25.47, 290.17 | 61.87, -47.52, 117.45 | 90.00, -66.56, 141.52 |
5 | 11/15/18-12/11/18 | 73.54, -31.93, 191.05 | 67.06, 3.53, 279.38 | 71.11, -20.13, 279.98 | 76.70, -43.68, 103.00 | 90.00, -66.56, 114.14 |
6 | 12/11/18-01/07/19 | 92.01, -30.58, 178.64 | 92.81, 5.41, 268.82 | 92.31, -18.59, 268.76 | 91.62, -42.58, 88.41 | 89.99, -66.56, 87.05 |
7 | 01/07/19-02/02/19 | 110.26, -32.63, 166.45 | 118.18, 2.57, 258.61 | 113.25, -20.93, 257.80 | 106.36, -44.24, 74.01 | 90.00, -66.56, 60.26 |
8 | 02/02/19-02/28/19 | 128.12, -37.74, 155.31 | 142.37, -4.18, 250.66 | 133.69, -26.70, 248.30 | 120.60, -48.42, 60.15 | 90.00, -66.56, 33.85 |
9 | 02/28/19-03/26/19 | 145.91, -45.30, 145.92 | 165.70, -13.46, 246.09 | 154.09, -35.04, 241.22 | 134.27, -54.73, 46.95 | 90.00, -66.56, 7.72 |
10 | 03/26/19-04/22/19 | 165.05, -54.82, 139.17 | 189.90, -23.89, 245.67 | 176.16, -45.14, 237.72 | 147.70, -62.89, 34.26 | 90.00, -66.56, 341.28 |
11 | 04/22/19-05/21/19 | 189.12, -65.54, 138.08 | 217.30, -33.73, 250.57 | 203.40, -55.72, 240.58 | 161.39, -72.63, 22.06 | 90.00, -66.56, 314.08 |
12 | 05/21/19-06/19/19 | 229.59, -75.13, 153.98 | 249.34, -40.26, 261.51 | 241.52, -63.82, 255.21 | 177.30, -83.38, 12.37 | 90.01, -66.56, 286.45 |
13 | 06/19/19-07/18/19 | 298.67, -76.33, 198.94 | 284.05, -40.90, 275.82 | 289.59, -64.68, 280.33 | 357.94, -85.50, 167.75 | 90.01, -66.56, 258.88 |
Year 2
Observations during Year 2 comprised Sectors 14-26. During Year 2, the northern ecliptic hemisphere was observed. During sectors 17-23, the instrument boresight will be pointed at +54° ecliptic latitude. During Sectors 14-16 and 24-26, the boresight were pointed at +85° ecliptic latitude, due to excessive contamination by stray Earth- and moonlight in cameras 1 and 2 in the nominal +54° orientation.


Sector | Dates | Spacecraft | Camera 1 | Camera 2 | Camera 3 | Camera 4 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | 07/18/19-08/15/19 | 276.72, 62.48, 32.23 | 297.76, 29.19, 106.40 | 287.05, 51.83, 113.50 | 256.18, 71.57, 321.23 | 174.64, 71.30, 39.75 | |
15 | 08/15/19-09/11/19 | 280.40, 64.07, 55.43 | 316.91, 35.57, 116.28 | 298.18, 55.90, 129.96 | 252.38, 68.63, 351.20 | 196.75, 60.86, 42.32 | |
16 | 09/11/19-10/07/19 | 282.44, 66.14, 79.47 | 336.08, 44.14, 123.65 | 307.85, 61.55, 146.58 | 252.91, 65.50, 16.51 | 214.06, 51.57, 50.23 | |
17 | 10/07/19-11/02/19 | 351.24, 57.85, 41.97 | 17.39, 26.89, 113.52 | 3.29, 48.23, 122.30 | 331.60, 65.56, 329.33 | 270.00, 66.57, 26.51 | |
18 | 11/02/19-11/27/19 | 16.11, 67.96, 40.55 | 44.14, 35.61, 107.46 | 30.86, 57.93, 117.35 | 344.62, 75.00, 340.53 | 270.00, 66.56, 52.16 | |
19 | 11/27/19-12/24/19 | 60.20, 76.23, 19.65 | 75.35, 40.85, 96.07 | 69.59, 64.62, 100.76 | 1.54, 85.31, 347.82 | 270.00, 66.56, 78.40 | |
20 | 12/24/19-01/21/20 | 129.39, 75.25, 334.57 | 110.05, 40.33, 81.75 | 117.67, 63.91, 75.61 | 182.33, 83.58, 192.29 | 270.00, 66.56, 105.95 | |
21 | 01/21/20-02/18/20 | 171.80, 65.19, 317.95 | 143.64, 33.45, 70.32 | 157.60, 55.40, 60.34 | 199.06, 72.30, 202.43 | 270.00, 66.56, 134.95 | |
22 | 02/18/20-03/18/20 | 197.10, 53.74, 319.70 | 172.75, 22.78, 65.49 | 186.32, 44.03, 57.86 | 213.72, 61.95, 215.57 | 270.00, 66.56, 164.08 | |
23 | 03/18/20-04/16/20 | 217.29, 43.81, 327.42 | 198.43, 11.69, 66.62 | 209.58, 33.41, 62.26 | 228.13, 53.47, 229.25 | 270.00, 66.56, 192.35 | |
24 | 04/16/20-05/13/20 | 261.45, 63.12, 317.26 | 233.47, 31.76, 68.84 | 247.74, 53.46, 58.98 | 286.20, 70.30, 204.43 | 354.22, 66.46, 140.21 | |
25 | 05/13/20-06/08/20 | 265.61, 61.94, 339.53 | 252.26, 27.06, 79.35 | 259.05, 50.49, 75.01 | 279.77, 72.71, 236.40 | 22.74, 76.64, 135.42 | |
26 | 06/08/20-07/04/20 | 270.14, 61.56, 0.60 | 270.53, 25.56, 90.32 | 270.33, 49.56, 90.44 | 269.69, 73.56, 271.02 | 92.83, 82.43, 87.82 |
Year 3
Observations during Year 3 comprised Sectors 27-39. During Year 3, the southern ecliptic hemisphere will be re-observed. For each of these sectors, the instrument boresight will be pointed at an ecliptic declination of -54°.


Sector | Dates | Spacecraft | Camera 1 | Camera 2 | Camera 3 | Camera 4 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
27 | 07/04/20-07/30/20 | 326.85, -72.43, 214.51 | 301.60, -38.68, 282.66 | 312.45, -61.74, 291.17 | 8.60, -79.81, 165.21 | 90.01, -66.56, 244.53 | |
28 | 07/30/20-08/26/20 | 357.29, -63.01, 222.52 | 329.49, -31.62, 291.12 | 343.69, -53.32, 300.91 | 21.86, -70.24, 155.17 | 90.00, -66.56, 219.52 | |
29 | 08/26/20-09/22/20 | 18.92, -52.83, 219.80 | 355.01, -21.83, 294.62 | 8.42, -43.07, 301.96 | 34.93, -61.16, 143.29 | 90.00, -66.57, 193.50 | |
30 | 09/22/20-10/21/20 | 38.36, -43.32, 212.04 | 19.83, -11.10, 293.17 | 30.81, -32.88, 297.36 | 48.93, -53.06, 129.97 | 90.00, -66.57, 166.08 | |
31 | 10/21/20-11/19/20 | 57.64, -35.78, 201.23 | 45.34, -1.64, 287.09 | 52.89, -24.50, 288.84 | 63.95, -46.82, 115.42 | 90.00, -66.56, 137.62 | |
32 | 11/19/20-12/17/20 | 77.19, -31.40, 188.63 | 72.12, 4.28, 277.38 | 75.29, -19.52, 277.81 | 79.64, -43.24, 100.12 | 90.00, -66.56, 108.78 | |
33 | 12/17/20-01/13/21 | 96.60, -30.78, 175.54 | 99.23, 5.13, 266.15 | 97.58, -18.82, 265.95 | 95.34, -42.74, 84.78 | 90.00, -66.56, 80.32 | |
34 | 01/13/21-02/09/21 | 115.30, -33.78, 163.19 | 125.08, 1.02, 256.09 | 119.02, -22.24, 254.95 | 110.40, -45.18, 70.06 | 90.00, -66.56, 52.82 | |
35 | 02/09/21-03/07/21 | 133.20, -39.69, 152.40 | 149.12, -6.65, 248.97 | 139.52, -28.87, 245.98 | 124.58, -50.03, 56.29 | 90.00, -66.56, 26.32 | |
36 | 03/07/21-04/02/21 | 150.95, -47.75, 143.73 | 172.19, -16.27, 245.52 | 159.89, -37.69, 239.83 | 137.97, -56.80, 43.41 | 90.00, -66.56, 0.50 | |
37 | 04/02/21-04/28/21 | 170.25, -57.37, 138.17 | 196.22, -26.44, 246.32 | 182.16, -47.75, 237.67 | 151.00, -65.14, 31.21 | 90.00, -66.56, 334.70 | |
38 | 04/28/21-05/26/21 | 195.72, -67.83, 139.35 | 223.78, -35.52, 252.42 | 210.45, -57.81, 242.52 | 164.45, -74.88, 19.59 | 90.00, -66.56, 308.17 | |
39 | 05/26/21-06/24/21 | 242.20, -76.40, 161.60 | 256.42, -40.93, 264.36 | 251.04, -64.73, 259.98 | 182.47, -85.64, 12.32 | 90.01, -66.56, 280.76 |
Year 4+
Observations during Year 4+ comprises Sectors 40-55. Year 4+ will begin with Sectors 40-41 in the Northern hemisphere, pointings roughly equivalent to those of Sectors 14 and 15, at an ecliptic latitude of +85°. Sectors 42-46 are ecliptic pointings. Sectors 47-55 are Northern hemisphere pointings at ecliptic latitude of +54°, with Sectors 52 and 53 shifted north to +85° to avoid scattered light in cameras 1 and 2.


Sector | Dates | Spacecraft | Camera 1 | Camera 2 | Camera 3 | Camera 4 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
40 | 06/24/21-07/23/21 | 273.08, 61.74, 14.15 | 282.30, 26.28, 97.42 | 277.61, 50.01, 100.38 | 262.98, 73.14, 293.53 | 143.44, 79.24, 51.66 | |
41 | 07/23/21-08/20/21 | 277.62, 62.76, 37.22 | 301.95, 30.34, 108.71 | 289.56, 52.55, 117.09 | 254.91, 70.99, 328.21 | 180.26, 68.99, 39.45 | |
42 | 08/20/21-09/16/21 | 13.01, 6.33, 292.80 | 339.85, -7.88, 22.34 | 1.96, 1.59, 23.57 | 24.27, 10.84, 201.11 | 47.84, 18.40, 195.07 | |
43 | 09/16/21-10/12/21 | 49.53, 18.97, 284.96 | 14.64, 6.87, 23.04 | 37.49, 15.50, 18.54 | 62.01, 21.64, 190.61 | 87.95, 23.99, 180.40 | |
44 | 10/12/21-11/06/21 | 89.61, 24.13, 270.16 | 51.11, 19.23, 14.87 | 76.50, 23.54, 5.47 | 102.72, 23.61, 174.83 | 128.16, 19.41, 165.36 | |
45 | 11/06/21-12/02/21 | 130.30, 19.02, 255.09 | 91.85, 23.99, 359.67 | 117.81, 21.67, 349.45 | 142.33, 15.56, 161.50 | 165.20, 6.93, 156.97 | |
46 | 12/02/21-12/30/21 | 168.35, 5.76, 247.07 | 133.65, 18.00, 344.47 | 157.13, 10.30, 338.65 | 179.39, 1.01, 156.42 | 201.53, -8.43, 157.87 | |
47 | 12/30/21-01/28/22 | 143.38, 73.11, 327.10 | 119.09, 39.11, 78.27 | 129.33, 62.28, 70.17 | 187.34, 80.64, 194.10 | 270.00, 66.56, 113.37 | |
48 | 01/28/22-02/26/22 | 179.43, 62.10, 317.42 | 151.83, 30.83, 68.36 | 166.08, 52.45, 58.70 | 203.00, 69.41, 205.82 | 270.00, 66.56, 142.75 | |
49 | 02/26/22-03/26/22 | 202.64, 50.95, 321.35 | 179.67, 19.82, 65.28 | 192.72, 41.10, 58.53 | 217.48, 59.54, 219.10 | 270.00, 66.56, 171.55 | |
50 | 03/26/22-04/22/22 | 221.86, 41.76, 329.73 | 204.39, 9.21, 67.61 | 214.82, 31.16, 63.94 | 231.60, 51.76, 232.60 | 270.00, 66.56, 199.04 | |
51 | 04/22/22-05/18/22 | 239.43, 35.23, 339.87 | 227.75, 0.91, 73.67 | 234.94, 23.88, 72.09 | 245.38, 46.36, 245.95 | 270.00, 66.56, 225.02 | |
52 | 05/18/22-06/13/22 | 266.36, 61.82, 343.14 | 255.37, 26.58, 81.19 | 260.96, 50.20, 77.65 | 278.24, 72.97, 242.12 | 30.09, 78.17, 131.93 | |
53 | 06/13/22-07/09/22 | 270.81, 61.58, 3.68 | 273.21, 25.61, 91.94 | 271.99, 49.59, 92.70 | 268.11, 73.53, 276.19 | 106.92, 82.18, 77.02 | |
54 | 07/09/22-08/05/22 | 290.12, 32.61, 13.46 | 297.99, -2.61, 101.32 | 293.09, 20.90, 102.11 | 286.25, 44.22, 285.87 | 270.01, 66.56, 299.53 | |
55 | 08/05/22-09/01/22 | 307.87, 37.65, 24.54 | 322.03, 4.06, 109.25 | 313.41, 26.60, 111.58 | 300.40, 48.35, 299.65 | 270.00, 66.57, 325.77 |