Essential information about the formation and evolution of planetary systems can be found in their architectures-in particular, in stellar obliquity (psi)-as they serve as a signature of their dynamical evolution. Here we present ESPRESSO observations of the Rossiter-McLaughlin (RM) effect of eight warm gas giants, revealing that, independently of the eccentricities, all of them have relatively aligned orbits. Our five warm Jupiters (WASP-106 b, WASP-130 b, TOI-558 b, TOI-4515 b, and TOI-5027 b) have sky-projected obliquities divided by lambda divided by similar or equal to 0-10 degrees, while the two less massive warm Saturns (K2-139 b and K2-329 A b) are slightly misaligned, having divided by lambda divided by similar or equal to 15-25 degrees. Furthermore, for K2-139 b, K2-329 A b, and TOI-4515 b, we also measure true 3D obliquities psi similar or equal to 15-30 degrees. We also report a nondetection of the RM effect produced by TOI-2179 b. Through hierarchical Bayesian modeling of the true 3D obliquities of hot and warm Jupiters, we find that around single stars warm Jupiters are statistically more aligned than hot Jupiters. Independent of eccentricities, 95% of the warm Jupiters have psi less than or similar to 25 degrees with no misaligned planets, while hot Jupiters show an almost isotropic distribution of misaligned systems. This implies that around single stars warm Jupiters form in primordially aligned protoplanetary disks and subsequently evolve in a more quiescent way than hot Jupiters. Finally, we find that Saturns may have slightly more misaligned orbits than warm Jupiters, but more obliquity measurements are necessary to be conclusive.

We report the discovery and characterization of three new transiting giant planets orbiting TOI-6628, TOI-3837, and TOI-5027 and one new warm sub-Saturn orbiting TOI-2328, whose transits events were detected in the light curves of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) space mission. By combining TESS light curves with ground-based photometric and spectroscopic followup observations, we confirm the planetary nature of the observed transits and radial velocity variations. TOI-6628 b has a mass of 0.74 +/- 0.06 M-J and a radius of 0.98(-0.05)(+0.06) R-J and orbits a metal-rich star with a period of 18.18424 +/- 0.00001 days and an eccentricity of 0.670(-0.016)(+0.015), making it one of the most eccentric orbits of all known warm giants. TOI-3837 b has a mass of 0.59 +/- 0.05 M-J and a radius of 0.97(-0.06)(+0.05) R-J and orbits its host star every 11.88865 +/- 0.00003 days, with a moderate eccentricity of 0.221(-0.046)(+0.042). With a mass of 2.02 +/- 0.13 M-J and a radius of 0.96(-0.06)(+0.05) R-J, TOI-5027 b orbits its host star in an eccentric orbit with e = 0.385(-0.026)(+0.025) every 10.24368 +/- 0.00001 days. TOI-2328 b is a Saturn-like planet with a mass of 0.16 +/- 0.02 M-J and a radius of 0.89(-0.05)(+0.04) R-J; it orbits its host star in a nearly circular orbit with e = 0.057(-0.029)(+0.046) at a period of 17.10197 +/- 0.00001 days. All four planets have orbital periods above ten days, and our planet's interior structure models are consistent with a rocky-icy core with an H/He envelope, providing evidence supporting the core-accretion model of planet formation for this kind of planet.

We constrain the sky-projected obliquities of two low-density hot Neptune planets, HATS-38 b and WASP-139 b, orbiting nearby G and K stars using Rossiter-McLaughlin (RM) observations with VLT/ESPRESSO, yielding lambda=-108(-16)(+11) deg and -85.6(-4.2)(+7.7) deg, respectively. To model the RM effect, we use a new publicly available code, ironman, which is capable of jointly fitting transit photometry, Keplerian radial velocities, and RM effects. WASP-139 b has a residual eccentricity e=0.103(-0.041)(+0.050) while HATS-38 b has an eccentricity of e=0.112(-0.070)(+0.072), which is compatible with a circular orbit given our data. Using the obliquity constraints, we show that they join a growing group of hot and low-density Neptunes on polar orbits. We use long-term radial velocities to rule out companions with masses similar to 0.3-50 M-J within similar to 10 au. We show that the orbital architectures of the two Neptunes can be explained with high-eccentricity migration from greater than or similar to 2 au driven by an unseen distant companion. If HATS-38b has no residual eccentricity, its polar and circular orbit can also be consistent with a primordial misalignment. Finally, we performed a hierarchical Bayesian modeling of the true obliquity distribution of Neptunes and found suggestive evidence for a higher preponderance of polar orbits of hot Neptunes compared to Jupiters. However, we note that the exact distribution is sensitive to the choice of priors, highlighting the need for additional obliquity measurements of Neptunes to robustly compare the hot Neptune obliquity distribution to Jupiters.

We report on the confirmation and follow-up characterization of two long-period transiting substellar companions on low-eccentricity orbits around TIC 4672985 and TOI-2529, whose transit events were detected by the TESS space mission. Ground-based photometric and spectroscopic follow-up from different facilities, confirmed the substellar nature of TIC 4672985 b, a massive gas giant, in the transition between the super Jupiters and brown dwarfs mass regime. From the joint analysis we derived the following orbital parameters: P = 69.0480 d, Mp = 12.74 Mjup, Rp = 1.026 Rjup and e = 0.018. In addition, the RV time series revealed a significant trend at the 350 m/s/yr level, which is indicative of the presence of a massive outer companion in the system. TIC 4672985 b is a unique example of a transiting substellar companion with a mass above the deuterium-burning limit, located beyond 0.1 AU and in a nearly circular orbit. These planetary properties are difficult to reproduce from canonical planet formation and evolution models. For TOI-2529 b, we obtained the following orbital parameters: P = 64.5949 d, Mp = 2.340 Mjup, Rp = 1.030 Rjup and e = 0.021, making this object a new example of a growing population of transiting warm giant planets.

We report the discovery and orbital characterization of three new transiting warm giant planets. These systems were initially identified as presenting single transit events in the light curves generated from the full frame images of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Follow-up radial velocity measurements and additional light curves were used to determine the orbital periods and confirm the planetary nature of the candidates. The planets orbit slightly metal-rich late F- and early G-type stars. We find that TOI 4406b has a mass of $M_P$= 0.30 $\pm$ 0.04 $M_J$ , a radius of $R_P$= 1.00 $\pm$ 0.02 $R_J$ , and a low eccentricity orbit (e=0.15 $\pm$ 0.05) with a period of P= 30.08364 $\pm$ 0.00005 d . TOI 2338b has a mass of $M_P$= 5.98 $\pm$ 0.20 $M_J$ , a radius of $R_P$= 1.00 $\pm$ 0.01 $R_J$ , and a highly eccentric orbit (e= 0.676 $\pm$ 0.002 ) with a period of P= 22.65398 $\pm$ 0.00002 d . Finally, TOI 2589b has a mass of $M_P$= 3.50 $\pm$ 0.10 $M_J$ , a radius of $R_P$= 1.08 $\pm$ 0.03 $R_J$ , and an eccentric orbit (e = 0.522 $\pm$ 0.006 ) with a period of P= 61.6277 $\pm$ 0.0002 d . TOI 4406b and TOI 2338b are enriched in metals compared to their host stars, while the structure of TOI 2589b is consistent with having similar metal enrichment to its host star.

The geometries of near-resonant planetary systems offer a relatively pristine window into the initial conditions of exoplanet systems. Given that near-resonant systems have likely experienced minimal dynamical disruptions, the spin-orbit orientations of these systems inform the typical outcomes of quiescent planet formation, as well as the primordial stellar obliquity distribution. However, few measurements have been made to constrain the spin-orbit orientations of near-resonant systems. We present a Rossiter-McLaughlin measurement of the near-resonant warm Jupiter TOI-2202 b, obtained using the Carnegie Planet Finder Spectrograph (PFS) on the 6.5m Magellan Clay Telescope. This is the eighth result from the Stellar Obliquities in Long-period Exoplanet Systems (SOLES) survey. We derive a sky-projected 2D spin-orbit angle $\lambda=26^{+12}_{-15}$ $^{\circ}$ and a 3D spin-orbit angle $\psi=31^{+13}_{-11}$ $^{\circ}$, finding that TOI-2202 b - the most massive near-resonant exoplanet with a 3D spin-orbit constraint to date - likely deviates from exact alignment with the host star's equator. Incorporating the full census of spin-orbit measurements for near-resonant systems, we demonstrate that the current set of near-resonant systems with period ratios $P_2/P_1\lesssim4$ is generally consistent with a quiescent formation pathway, with some room for low-level ($\lesssim20^{\circ}$) protoplanetary disk misalignments or post-disk-dispersal spin-orbit excitation. Our result constitutes the first population-wide analysis of spin-orbit geometries for near-resonant planetary systems.

We report the discovery and characterization of three giant exoplanets orbiting solar-analog stars, detected by the TESS space mission and confirmed through ground-based photometry and radial velocity measurements taken at La Silla observatory with FEROS. TOI-2373 b is a warm Jupiter orbiting its host star every ∼13.3 days, and is one of the most massive known exoplanet with a precisely determined mass and radius around a star similar to the Sun, with an estimated mass of m p = 9.3−0.2+0.2Mjup and a radius of r p = 0.93−0.2+0.2Rjup . With a mean density of ρ=14.4−1.0+0.9gcm−3 , TOI-2373 b is among the densest planets discovered so far. TOI-2416 b orbits its host star on a moderately eccentric orbit with a period of ∼8.3 days and an eccentricity of e = 0.32−0.02+0.02 . TOI-2416 b is more massive than Jupiter with m p = 3.0−0.09+0.10Mjup , however is significantly smaller with a radius of r p = 0.88−0.02+0.02,Rjup , leading to a high mean density of ρ=5.4−0.3+0.3gcm−3 . TOI-2524 b is a warm Jupiter near the hot Jupiter transition region, orbiting its star every ∼7.2 days on a circular orbit. It is less massive than Jupiter with a mass of m p = 0.64−0.04+0.04Mjup , and is consistent with an inflated radius of r p = 1.00−0.03+0.02Rjup , leading to a low mean density of ρ=0.79−0.08+0.08gcm−3 . The newly discovered exoplanets TOI-2373 b, TOI-2416 b, and TOI-2524 b have estimated equilibrium temperatures of 860−10+10 K, 1080−10+10 K, and 1100−20+20 K, respectively, placing them in the sparsely populated transition zone between hot and warm Jupiters.

High-eccentricity tidal migration predicts the existence of highly eccentric proto hot Jupiters on the “tidal circularization track,” meaning that they might eventually become hot Jupiters, but that their migratory journey remains incomplete. Having experienced moderate amounts of tidal evolution of their orbital elements, proto hot Jupiter systems can be powerful test beds for the underlying mechanisms of eccentricity growth. Notably, they may be used for discriminating between variants of high-eccentricity migration, each predicting a distinct evolution of misalignment between the star and the planet’s orbit. We constrain the spin–orbit misalignment of the proto hot Jupiter TOI-3362b with high-precision radial-velocity observations using ESPRESSO at Very Large Telescope. The observations reveal a sky-projected obliquity λ = 1.2 − 2.7 + 2.8 ° and constrain the orbital eccentricity to e = 0.720 ± 0.016, making it one of the most eccentric gas giants for which the obliquity has been measured. Although the large eccentricity and the striking orbit alignment of the planet are puzzling, we suggest that ongoing coplanar high-eccentricity migration driven by a distant companion is a possible explanation for the system's architecture. This distant companion would need to reside beyond 5 au at 95% confidence to be compatible with the available radial-velocity observations.

The K-type star TOI-2525 has an estimated mass of M = 0.849(-0.033)(+0.024) M-circle dot and radius of R = 0.785(-0.007)(+0.007) R-circle dot observed by the TESS mission in 22 sectors (within sectors 1 and 39). The TESS light curves yield significant transit events of two companions, which show strong transit timing variations (TTVs) with a semiamplitude of similar to 6 hr. We performed TTV dynamical and photodynamical light-curve analysis of the TESS data combined with radial velocity measurements from FEROS and PFS, and we confirmed the planetary nature of these companions. The TOI-2525 system consists of a transiting pair of planets comparable to Neptune and Jupiter with estimated dynamical masses of m(b) = 0.088(-0.004)(+0.005) and m(c) = 0.709(-0.033)(+0.034) M-Jup, radii of r(b) = 0.88(-0.02)(+0.02) and r(c) = 0.98(-0.02)(+0.02) R-Jup, and orbital periods of P-b = 23.288(-0.002)(+0.001) and P-c = 49.260(-0.001)(+0.001) days for the inner and outer planet, respectively. The period ratio is close to the 2:1 period commensurability, but the dynamical simulations of the system suggest that it is outside the mean-motion resonance (MMR) dynamical configuration. Object TOI-2525 b is among the lowest-density Neptune-mass planets known to date, with an estimated median density of rho(b) = 0.174(-0.015)(+0.016) g cm(-3). The TOI-2525 system is very similar to the other K dwarf systems discovered by TESS, TOI-2202 and TOI-216, which are composed of almost identical K dwarf primaries and two warm giant planets near the 2:1 MMR.