TESS Observations

TESS observes the sky in sectors measuring 24° x 96° that extend from near the ecliptic to beyond the ecliptic pole. Each sector is observed for two orbits of the satellite around the Earth, or about 27 days.

• Current Pointing
• Schedule of Observations

TESS is observing sectors in the southern ecliptic hemisphere during the first year of the mission and will observe sectors in the northern ecliptic hemisphere in the second year of the mission.  The locations of the sectors for the first year of the mission are shown in the figure: click on a sector to be directed to a page with more details about the sector (as they become available).

The timing of TESS observations and ground contacts can be found in the TESS Operations Calendar.

Where is TESS pointed now?

TESS has begun observing Sector 9 in Orbit 25.  The pointing direction of the instrument during Sector 9 is:

Ecliptic Longitude (J2000): 172°
Ecliptic Latitude (J2000): -54°

RA (J2000): +146°
Dec (J2000): -45°
Roll (deg): 146°

Hover and click to go to each sector.
Map in ecliptic coordinates of the observing sectors for the first year of the TESS mission. Camera 1 is outlined in red, camera 2 in magenta, camera 3 in blue, and camera 4 in green.  The thin black line is the ecliptic, the thick black line is the galactic plane.

Observations To Date

At left, the map of sectors for the first year of observations in celestial coordinates. Camera 1 is outlined in red, camera 2 in magenta, camera 3 in blue, and camera 4 in green.  The thin black line is the ecliptic, the thick black line is the galactic plane.

At right, a plot of all targets observed to date.