We report the detection of a transiting, dense Neptune planet candidate orbiting the bright (V = 8.6) K0.5V star HD 95338. Detection of the 55-d periodic signal comes from the analysis of precision radial velocities from the Planet Finder Spectrograph on the Magellan II Telescope. Follow-up observations with HARPS also confirm the presence of the periodic signal in the combined data. HD 95338 was also observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) where we identify a clear single transit in the photometry. A Markov chain Monte Carlo period search on the velocities allows strong constraints on the expected transit time, matching well the epoch calculated from TESS data, confirming both signals describe the same companion. A joint fit model yields an absolute mass of 42.44(-2.08)(+2.22)M(circle plus) and a radius of 3.89(-0.20)(+0.19) R-circle plus, which translates into a density of 3.98(-0.64)(+0.62) g cm(-3) for the planet. Given the planet mass and radius, structure models suggest it is composed of a mixture of ammonia, water, and methane. HD 95338 b is one of the most dense Neptune planets yet detected, indicating a heavy element enrichment of similar to 90 per cent (similar to 38 M-circle plus). This system presents a unique opportunity for future follow-up observations that can further constrain structure models of cool gas giant planets.

We report the discovery of a warm Neptune and a hot sub-Neptune transiting TOI-421 (BD-14 1137, TIC 94986319), a bright (V = 9.9) G9 dwarf star in a visual binary system observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) space mission in Sectors 5 and 6. We performed ground-based follow-up observations-comprised of Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope transit photometry, NIRC2 adaptive optics imaging, and FIbre-fed Echelle Spectrograph, CORALIE, High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher, High Resolution echelle Spectrometer, and Planet Finder Spectrograph high-precision Doppler measurements-and confirmed the planetary nature of the 16 day transiting candidate announced by the TESS team. We discovered an additional radial velocity signal with a period of five days induced by the presence of a second planet in the system, which we also found to transit its host star. We found that the inner mini-Neptune, TOI-421 b, has an orbital period of P-b = 5.19672 +/- 0.00049 days, a mass of M-b = 7.17 +/- 0.66 M-circle plus, and a radius of R-b = R-circle plus, whereas the outer warm Neptune, TOI-421 c, has a period of P-c = 16.06819 +/- 0.00035 days, a mass of M-c = 16.42(-1.04)(+1.06)M(circle plus), a radius of R-c = 5.09(-0.15)(+0.16)R(circle plus), and a density of rho(c) = 0.685(-0.072)(+0.080) cm(-3). With its characteristics, the outer planet (rho(c) = 0.685(-0.0072)(+0.080) cm(-3)) is placed in the intriguing class of the super-puffy mini-Neptunes. TOI-421 b and TOI-421 c are found to be well-suited for atmospheric characterization. Our atmospheric simulations predict significant Ly alpha transit absorption, due to strong hydrogen escape in both planets, as well as the presence of detectable CH4 in the atmosphere of TOI-421 c if equilibrium chemistry is assumed.

Analysis of new precision radial velocity (RV) measurements from the Lick Automated Planet Finder and Keck HIRES has yielded the discovery of three new exoplanet candidates orbiting the nearby stars HD 190007 and HD 216520. We also report new velocities from the APF and the Planet Finder Spectrograph and updated orbital fits for the known exoplanet host stars GJ 686 and HD 180617. Of the newly discovered planets, HD 190007 b has a period of P = 11.72 days, an RV semiamplitude of K = 5.64 0.55 m s(-1), a minimum mass of M-pl = 16.46 1.66 M-circle plus, and orbits the slightly metal-rich, active K4V star HD 190007. For HD 216520 b, we find P = 35.45 days, K = 2.28 0.20 m s(-1), and M-pl = 10.26 0.99 M-circle plus, while for HD 216520 c, P = 154.43 days, K = 1.29 0.22 m s(-1), and M-pl = 9.44 1.63 M-circle plus. Both planets orbit the slightly metal-poor, inactive K0V star HD 216520. Our updated best-fit models for HD 180617 b and GJ 686 b are in good agreement with the published results. For HD 180617 b, we obtain P = 105.91 days and M-pl = 12.214 1.05 M-circle plus. For GJ 686 b, we find P = 15.53 days and M-pl = 6.624 0.432 M-circle plus. Using an injection-recovery exercise, we find that HD 190007 b and HD 216520 b are unlikely to have additional planets with masses and orbital periods within a factor of 2, in marked contrast to similar to 85% of planets in this mass and period range discovered by Kepler.

HD 106315 and GJ 9827 are two bright, nearby stars that host multiple super-Earths and sub-Neptunes discovered by K2 that are well suited for atmospheric characterization. We refined the planets' ephemerides through Spitzer transits, enabling accurate transit prediction required for future atmospheric characterization through transmission spectroscopy. Through a multiyear high-cadence observing campaign with Keck/High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer and Magellan/Planet Finder Spectrograph, we improved the planets' mass measurements in anticipation of Hubble Space Telescope transmission spectroscopy. For GJ 9827, we modeled activity-induced radial velocity signals with a Gaussian process informed by the Calcium II H&K lines in order to more accurately model the effect of stellar noise on our data. We measured planet masses of M-b = 4.87 0.37 M-circle plus, M-c = 1.92 0.49 M-circle plus, and M-d = 3.42 0.62 M-circle plus. For HD 106315, we found that such activity radial velocity decorrelation was not effective due to the reduced presence of spots and speculate that this may extend to other hot stars as well (T-eff > 6200 K). We measured planet masses of M-b = 10.5 3.1 M-circle plus and M-c = 12.0 3.8 M-circle plus. We investigated all of the planets' compositions through comparison of their masses and radii to a range of interior models. GJ 9827 b and GJ 9827 c are both consistent with a 50/50 rock-iron composition, GJ 9827 d and HD 106315 b both require additional volatiles and are consistent with moderate amounts of water or hydrogen/helium, and HD 106315 c is consistent with a similar to 10% hydrogen/helium envelope surrounding an Earth-like rock and iron core.

We report the discovery of two short-period Saturn-mass planets, one transiting the G subgiant TOI-954 (TIC 44792534, V = 10.343, T = 9.78) observed in TESS sectors 4 and 5 and one transiting the G dwarf K2-329 (EPIC 246193072, V = 12.70, K = 10.67) observed in K2 campaigns 12 and 19. We confirm and characterize these two planets with a variety of ground-based archival and follow-up observations, including photometry, reconnaissance spectroscopy, precise radial velocity, and high-resolution imaging. Combining all available data, we find that TOI-954 b has a radius of 0.852(-0.062)(+0.053) R-J and a mass of 0.174(-0.017)(+0.018) M-J and is in a 3.68 day orbit, while K2-329 b has a radius of 0.774(-0.024)(+0.026) R-J and a mass if 0.260(-0.022)(+0.020) M-J and is in a 12.46 day orbit. As TOI-954 b is 30 times more irradiated than K2-329 b but more or less the same size, these two planets provide an opportunity to test whether irradiation leads to inflation of Saturn-mass planets and contribute to future comparative studies that explore Saturn-mass planets at contrasting points in their lifetimes.

We report the discovery and validation of four extrasolar planets hosted by the nearby, bright, Sun-like (G3V) star HD 108236 using data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). We present transit photometry, reconnaissance, and precise Doppler spectroscopy, as well as high-resolution imaging, to validate the planetary nature of the objects transiting HD 108236, also known as the TESS Object of Interest (TOI) 1233. The innermost planet is a possibly rocky super-Earth with a period of 3.79523-(.00047)(0.000440+) days and has a radius of 1.586 +/- 0.098 R-circle plus. The outer planets are sub-Neptunes, with potential gaseous envelopes, having radii of 2.068(-0.091)(+0.10) R-circle plus, 2.72 +/- 0.11 R-circle plus, and 3.12(-0.12)(+0.13) R-circle plus and periods of 6.20370(-0.00052)(+0.00064) days, 14.17555(-0.0011)(+0.00099) days, and 19.5917(-0.0020)(+0.0022) days, respectively. With V and K-s magnitudes of 9.2 and 7.6, respectively, the bright host star makes the transiting planets favorable targets for mass measurements and, potentially, for atmospheric characterization via transmission spectroscopy. HD 108236 is the brightest Sun-like star in the visual (V) band known to host four or more transiting exoplanets. The discovered planets span a broad range of planetary radii and equilibrium temperatures and share a common history of insolation from a Sun-like star (R-a = 0.888 +/- 0.017 R-circle dot, Teff = 5730 +/- 50 K), making HD 108236 an exciting, opportune cosmic laboratory for testing models of planet formation and evolution.

We report the discovery of a Neptune-like planet (LP 714-47 b, P = 4.05204 d, m(b) = 30.8 +/- 1.5M(circle plus), R-b = 4.7 +/- 0.3 R-circle plus) located in the "hot Neptune desert". Confirmation of the TESS Object of Interest (TOI 442.01) was achieved with radial-velocity follow-up using CARMENES, ESPRESSO, HIRES, iSHELL, and PFS, as well as from photometric data using TESS, Spitzer, and ground-based photometry from MuSCAT2, TRAPPIST-South, MONET-South, the George Mason University telescope, the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope network, the El Sauce telescope, the TuBTAK National Observatory, the University of Louisville Manner Telescope, and WASP-South. We also present high-spatial resolution adaptive optics imaging with the Gemini Near-Infrared Imager. The low uncertainties in the mass and radius determination place LP 714-47 b among physically well-characterised planets, allowing for a meaningful comparison with planet structure models. The host star LP 714-47 is a slowly rotating early M dwarf (T-eff = 3950 +/- 51 K) with a mass of 0.59 +/- 0.02M(circle dot) and a radius of 0.58 +/- 0.02R(circle dot). From long-term photometric monitoring and spectroscopic activity indicators, we determine a stellar rotation period of about 33 d. The stellar activity is also manifested as correlated noise in the radial-velocity data. In the power spectrum of the radial-velocity data, we detect a second signal with a period of 16 days in addition to the four-day signal of the planet. This could be shown to be a harmonic of the stellar rotation period or the signal of a second planet. It may be possible to tell the difference once more TESS data and radial-velocity data are obtained.

TOI-216 hosts a pair of warm, large exoplanets discovered by the TESS mission. These planets were found to be in or near the 2:1 resonance, and both of them exhibit transit timing variations (TTVs). Precise characterization of the planets' masses and radii, orbital properties, and resonant behavior can test theories for the origins of planets orbiting close to their stars. Previous characterization of the system using the first six sectors of TESS data suffered from a degeneracy between planet mass and orbital eccentricity. Radial-velocity measurements using HARPS, FEROS, and the Planet Finder Spectrograph break that degeneracy, and an expanded TTV baseline from TESS and an ongoing ground-based transit observing campaign increase the precision of the mass and eccentricity measurements. We determine that TOI-216c is a warm Jupiter, TOI-216b is an eccentric warm Neptune, and that they librate in 2:1 resonance with a moderate libration amplitude of deg, a small but significant free eccentricity of for TOI-216b, and a small but significant mutual inclination of 12-39 (95% confidence interval). The libration amplitude, free eccentricity, and mutual inclination imply a disturbance of TOI-216b before or after resonance capture, perhaps by an undetected third planet.

Mapping the orbital obliquity distribution of young planets is one avenue toward understanding mechanisms that sculpt the architectures of planetary systems. TOI-942 is a young field star, with an age of similar to 60 Myr, hosting a planetary system consisting of two transiting Neptune-sized planets in 4.3 and 10.1 day period orbits. We observed the spectroscopic transits of the inner Neptune TOI-942b to determine its projected orbital obliquity angle. Through two partial transits, we find the planet to be in a prograde orbit, with a projected obliquity angle of divide lambda divide =1(-33)(+41) deg. In addition, incorporating the light curve and the stellar rotation period, we find the true 3D obliquity to be 2(-23)(+27) deg. We explored various sources of uncertainties specific to the spectroscopic transits of planets around young active stars, and showed that our reported obliquity uncertainty fully encompassed these effects. TOI-942b is one of the youngest planets to have its obliquity characterized, and one of even fewer residing in a multi-planet system. The prograde orbital geometry of TOI-942b is in line with systems of similar ages, none of which have yet been identified to be in strongly misaligned orbits.

Kepler revealed that roughly one-third of Sunlike stars host planets orbiting within 100 days and between the size of Earth and Neptune. How do these planets form, what are they made of, and do they represent a continuous population or multiple populations? To help address these questions, we began the Magellan-TESS Survey (MTS), which uses Magellan II/PFS to obtain radial velocity (RV) masses of 30 TESS-detected exoplanets and develops an analysis framework that connects observed planet distributions to underlying populations. In the past, small-planet RV measurements have been challenging to obtain due to host star faintness and low RV semiamplitudes and challenging to interpret due to the potential biases in target selection and observation planning decisions. The MTS attempts to minimize these biases by focusing on bright TESS targets and employing a quantitative selection function and observing strategy. In this paper, we (1) describe our motivation and survey strategy, (2) present our first catalog of planet density constraints for 27 TESS Objects of Interest (TOIs; 22 in our population analysis sample, 12 that are members of the same systems), and (3) employ a hierarchical Bayesian model to produce preliminary constraints on the mass-radius (M-R) relation. We find that the biases causing previous M-R relations to predict fairly high masses at 1 R (circle plus) have been reduced. This work can inform more detailed studies of individual systems and offer a framework that can be applied to future RV surveys with the goal of population inferences.