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Stellar theory enables us to understand the properties of stars at different stages of their evolution, and contributes to other fields of astrophysics such as galactic and exoplanet studies. Assessing the accuracy of stellar theories necessitates high precision, model-independent measurements of the properties of real stars, such as those obtainable for the components of double-lined eclipsing binaries (DLEBs), while asteroseismology offers probing power of the stellar interior if one or both components pulsate. KIC 4851217 is a DLEB containing two late A-type stars and exhibits pulsations of the |$\delta$| Scuti type. By analysing high resolution HERMES and moderate resolution ISIS spectra, jointly with Kepler and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite light curves, we measured the masses, radii, and effective temperatures of the components to precisions of |$\sim$| 0.5, |$\sim$| 1.1, and |$\sim$| 1 per cent, respectively. We additionally report the discovery and characterization of a tertiary M-dwarf companion. Models of the system's spectral energy distribution agree with an age of 0.82 Gyr, with the more massive and larger secondary component near the end of the main-sequence lifetime. An examination of the pulsating component's pulsation frequencies reveals 39 pulsation multiplets that are split by the orbital frequency. For most of these, it is evident that the pulsation axes have been tilted into the orbital plane. This makes KIC 4851217 a tidally tilted pulsator (TTP). This precisely characterized |$\delta$| Scuti DLEB is an ideal candidate for advancing intermediate-mass stellar theory, contributing to our understanding of hierarchical systems as well as to the topic of TTPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We compiled a list of more than 3500 eclipsing binaries located in and near the northern continuous viewing zone (NCVZ) of the TESS space telescope that have sufficient TESS photometry to search for additional hidden components in these systems. In addition to discovering their hierarchical nature, we also determined their orbital parameters and analyzed their distributions. Methods. We obtained the TESS light curves of all targets in an automated way by applying convolution-aided differential photometry on the TESS full-frame images from all available sectors up to sector 60. Using a new self-developed Python GUI, we visually confirmed all of these light curves, determined the eclipsing periods of the objects, and calculated their eclipse-timing variations (ETVs). The ETV curves were used in order to search for nonlinear variations that could be attributed to a light travel-time effect (LTTE) or dynamical perturbations caused by additional components in these systems. We preselected 351 such candidates and modeled their ETVs with the analytic formulae of pure LTTE or with a combination of LTTE and dynamical perturbations. Results. We were able to fit a model solution for the ETVs of 135 hierarchical triple candidates, 10 systems of which were known from the literature, and the remaining 125 systems are new discoveries. These systems include some more noteworthy ones, such as five tight triples that are very close to their dynamical stability limit with a period ratio lower than 20, and three newly discovered triply eclipsing triples. We point out that dynamical perturbations occur in GZ Dra, which we found to be a triple, and that the system is one of the most strongly inclined systems known in the literature, with im = 58° ±7°. We also compared the distributions of some orbital parameters from our solutions with those from a previous Kepler sample. Finally, we verified the correlations between the available parameters for systems that have Gaia non-single star orbital solutions with those from our ETV solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report the independent discovery and analysis of nine new compact triply eclipsing triple star systems found with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission: TICs 47151245, 81525800, 99013269, 229785001, 276162169, 280883908, 294803663, 332521671, and 356324779. Each of these nine systems exhibits distinct third-body eclipses where the third ('tertiary') star occults the inner eclipsing binary (EB), or vice versa. We utilize a photodynamical analysis of the TESS photometry, archival photometric data, TESS eclipse timing variations of the EBs, available archival spectral energy distribution (SED) curves, and, in some cases, newly acquired radial velocity observations, to solve for the parameters of all three stars, as well as most of the orbital elements. From these analyses we find that the outer orbits of all nine systems are viewed nearly edge on (i.e. within ≲4°), and six of the systems are coplanar to within 5°; the others have mutual inclination angles of 20°, 41°, and possibly 179° (i.e. a retrograde outer orbit). The outer orbital periods range from 47.8 to 604 d, with eccentricities spanning 0.004–0.61. The masses of all 18 EB stars are in the range of 0.9–2.6 M⊙ and are mostly situated near the main sequence. By contrast, the masses and radii of the tertiary stars range from 1.4 to 2.8 M⊙ and 1.5 to 13 R⊙, respectively. We make use of the system parameters from these nine systems, plus those from a comparable number of compact triply eclipsing triples published previously, to gain some statistical insight into their properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) of a third set of eclipses from V994 Herculis (V994 Her, TIC 424508303), previously only known as a doubly eclipsing system. The key implication of this discovery and our analyses is that V994 Her is the second fully characterized (2+2) + 2 sextuple system, in which all three binaries eclipse. In this work, we use a combination of ground-based observations and TESS data to analyse the eclipses of binaries A and B in order to update the parameters of the inner quadruple's orbit (with a derived period of 1062 ± 2 d). The eclipses of binary C that were detected in the TESS data were also found in older ground-based observations, as well as in more recently obtained observations. The eclipse timing variations of all three pairs were studied in order to detect the mutual perturbations of their constituent stars, as well as those of the inner pairs in the (2 + 2) core. At the longest periods they arise from apsidal motion, which may help constraining parameters of the component stars' internal structure. We also discuss the relative proximity of the periods of binaries A and B to a 3:2 mean motion resonance. This work represents a step forward in the development of techniques to better understand and characterize multiple star systems, especially those with multiple eclipsing components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report the discovery and analysis of six new compact triply eclipsing triple star systems found with the TESS mission: TICs 37743815, 42565581, 54060695, 178010808, 242132789, and 456194776. All of these exhibit distinct third-body eclipses where the inner eclipsing binary (EB) occults the third ('tertiary') star, or vice versa. We utilized the TESS photometry, archival photometric data, and available archival spectral energy distribution curves (SED) to solve for the properties of all three stars, as well as many of the orbital elements. We describe in detail our SED fits, search of the archival data for the outer orbital period, and the final global photodynamical analyses. From these analyses, we find that all six systems are coplanar to within 0°−5°, and are viewed nearly edge on (i.e. within a couple of degrees). The outer orbital periods and eccentricities of the six systems are { P out (days),  e }: {68.7, 0.36}, {123, 0.16}, {60.7, 0.01}, {69.0, 0.29}, {41.5, 0.01}, {93.9, 0.29}, respectively, in the order the sources are listed above. The masses of all 12 EB stars were in the range of 0.7–1.8 M⊙ and were situated near the main sequence. By contrast, the masses and radii of the tertiary stars ranged from 1.5 to 2.3 M⊙ and 2.9 to 12 R⊙, respectively. We use this information to estimate the occurrence rate of compact flat triple systems.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an analysis of a newly discovered 2+1 + 1 quadruple system with TESS containing an unresolved eclipsing binary (EB) as part of TIC 121088960 and a close neighbour TIC 121088959. The EB consists of two very low-mass M dwarfs in a highly eccentric (e  = 0.709) short-period (P  = 3.043 58 d) orbit. Given the large pixel size of TESS and the small separation (3 |${_{.}^{\prime\prime}}$| 9) between TIC 121088959 and TIC 121088960 we used light centroid analysis of the difference image between in-eclipse and out-of-eclipse data to show that the EB likely resides in TIC 121088960, but contributes only ∼10 per cent of its light. Radial velocity data were acquired with iSHELL at NASA's Infrared Facility and the Coudé spectrograph at the McDonald 2.7-m telescope. For both images, the measured RVs showed no variation over the 11 d observational baseline, and the RV difference between the two images was 8 ± 0.3 km s−1. The similar distances and proper motions of the two images indicate that TIC 121088959 and TIC 121088960 are a gravitationally bound pair. Gaia's large RUWE and astrometric_excess_noise parameters for TIC 121088960, further indicate that this image is the likely host of the unresolved EB and is itself a triple star. We carried out an SED analysis and calculated stellar masses for the four stars, all of which are in the M dwarf regime: 0.19 M⊙ and 0.14 M⊙ for the EB stars and 0.43 M⊙ and 0.39 M⊙ for the brighter visible stars, respectively. Lastly, numerical simulations show that the orbital period of the inner triple is likely the range 1–50 yr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we report the discovery and analysis of three new triply eclipsing triple star systems found with the TESS mission during its observations of the northern skies: TICs 193993801, 388459317, and 52041148. We utilized the TESS precision photometry of the binary eclipses and third-body eclipsing events, ground-based archival and follow-up photometric data, eclipse timing variations, archival spectral energy distributions, as well as theoretical evolution tracks in a joint photodynamical analysis to deduce the system masses and orbital parameters of both the inner and outer orbits. In one case (TIC 193993801) we also obtained radial velocity measurements of all three stars. This enabled us to 'calibrate' our analysis approach with and without 'truth' (i.e. RV) data. We find that the masses are good to 1–3 per cent accuracy with RV data and 3–10 per cent without the use of RV data. In all three systems we were able to find the outer orbital period before doing any detailed analysis by searching for a longer-term periodicity in the ASAS-SN archival photometry data – just a few thousand ASAS-SN points enabled us to find the outer periods of 49.28 d, 89.86 d, and 177.0 d, respectively. From our full photodynamical analysis we find that all three systems are coplanar to within 1°−3°. The outer eccentricities of the three systems are 0.003, 0.10, and 0.62, respectively (i.e. spanning a factor of 200). The masses of the three stars {Aa, Ab, and B} in the three systems are: {1.31, 1.19, 1.34}, {1.82, 1.73, 2.19}, and {1.62, 1.48, 2.74} M⊙, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an eclipse timing variations (ETV) study to identify close, stellar mass companions to the eclipsing binaries monitored during the photometric survey Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment-IV. We also present an alternative automatic way to determine the first and last contacts of an eclipse. Applying the phase dispersion minimization method to identify potential triples, we find close third components with outer periods in less than 1500 d in 23 systems. We present outer orbit solution for 21 of 23 systems. For the 10 tightest triples, we find that the ETV can only be modelled with the combination of the light-travel-time effect (LTTE) and third-body perturbations, while in case of another 11 systems, pure LTTE solutions are found to be satisfactory. In the remaining two systems, we identify extra eclipses connected to the outer component, but for the incomplete and noisy ETV curves, we are unable to find realistic three-body solutions. Therefore, in these cases we give only the outer period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of a compact triply eclipsing triple star system in the southern continuous viewing zone of the TESS space telescope. TIC 278825952 is a previously known, but unstudied circular eclipsing binary with a period of 4.781 d with a tertiary component in a wider, circular orbit of 235.55-d period that was found from three sets of third-body eclipses and from light travel-time effect dominated eclipse timing variations. We performed a joint photodynamical analysis of the eclipse timing variation curves, photometric data, and the spectral energy distribution, coupled with the use of PARSEC stellar isochrones. We find that the inner binary consists of slightly evolved, near twin stars of masses of 1.12 and 1.09 M⊙ and radii of 1.40 and 1.31 R ⊙. The third, less massive star has a mass of 0.75 M⊙ and radius of 0.70 R ⊙. The low mutual inclination and eccentricities of the orbits show that the system is highly coplanar and surprisingly circular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VW LMi is the tightest known quadruple system with 2 + 2 hierarchy. It consists of a W UMa-type eclipsing binary (P 12 = 0.477 55 d) and another detached non-eclipsing binary (P 34 = 7.93 d) orbiting around a common centre of mass in about P 1234 = 355 d. We present new observations of the system extending the time baseline to study long-term perturbations in the system and to improve orbital elements. The multidataset modelling of the system (four radial-velocity curves for the components and the timing data) clearly showed an apsidal motion in the non-eclipsing binary at a rate of 4.6 deg yr−1, but no other perturbations. This is consistent with the nearly co-planarity of the outer, 355-d orbit, and the 7.93-d orbit of the non-eclipsing binary. Extensive N -body simulations enabled us to constrain the mutual inclination of the non-eclipsing binary and the outer orbits to j 34–1234 < 10 deg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery and complex analyses of the first two compact hierarchical triple star systems discovered with TESS in or near its southern continuous viewing zone during Year 1. Both TICs 167692429 and 220397947 were previously unknown eclipsing binaries, and the presence of a third companion star was inferred from eclipse timing variations exhibiting signatures of strong third-body perturbations and, in the first system, also from eclipse depth variations. We carried out comprehensive analyses, including the simultaneous photodynamical modelling of TESS and archival ground-based WASP light curves, as well as eclipse timing variation curves. Also, for the first time, we included in the simultaneous fits multiple star spectral energy distribution data and theoretical PARSEC stellar isochrones, taking into account Gaia DR2 parallaxes and catalogued metallicities. We find that both systems have twin F-star binaries and a lower mass tertiary star. In the TIC 167692429 system, the inner binary is moderately inclined (i mut = 27°) with respect to the outer orbit, and the binary versus outer (triple) orbital periods are 10.3 versus 331 d, respectively. The mutually inclined orbits cause a driven precession of the binary orbital plane that leads to the disappearance of binary eclipses for long intervals. In the case of TIC 220397947, the two orbital planes are more nearly aligned and the inner versus outer orbital periods are 3.5 and 77 d, respectively. In the absence of radial velocity observations, we were unable to calculate highly accurate masses and ages for the two systems. According to stellar isochrones TIC 167692429 might be either a pre-main sequence (MS) or an older post-MS system. In the case of TIC 220397947, our solution prefers a young pre-MS scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nearby (50 pc) K7V dwarf HIP 41431 (EPIC 212096658) is a compact three-tier hierarchy. Three K7V stars with similar masses, from 0.61 to 0.63 solar, make a triple-lined spectroscopic system where the inner binary with a period of 2.9 d is eclipsing, and the outer companion on a 59-d orbit exerts strong dynamical influence revealed by the eclipse time variation in the Kepler photometry. Moreover, the centre of mass of the triple system moves on a 3.9-yr orbit, modulating the proper motion. The mass of the fourth star is 0.35 solar. The Kepler and ground-based photometry and radial velocities from four different spectrographs are used to adjust the spectro-photodynamical model that accounts for dynamical interaction. The mutual inclination between the two inner orbits is 2 |${^{\circ}_{.}}$| 16 ± 0 |${^{\circ}_{.}}$| 11, while the outer orbit is inclined to their common plane by 21°±16°. The inner orbit precesses under the influence of both outer orbits, causing observable variation of the eclipse depth. Moreover, the phase of the inner binary is strongly modulated with a 59-d period and its line of apsides precesses. The middle orbit with eccentricity e  = 0.28 also precesses, causing the observed variation of its radial velocity curve. Masses and other parameters of stars in this unique hierarchy are determined. This system is dynamically stable and likely old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a study of the eclipse timing variation (ETV) of short period (P 1 ≤ 6 d ) eclipsing binaries (EBs) monitored during the photometric survey optical gravitational lensing experiment-IV. From the 425 193 EBs, we selected approximately 80 000 binaries that we found suitable for further examination. Among them, we identified 992 potential hierarchical triple (or multiple) system candidates exhibiting light-travel time effect (LTTE). Besides, we obtained the orbital parameters of these systems and carried out statistical analyses on the properties of these candidates. We found that (i) there is a significant lack of triple systems where the outer period is less than 500 d, (ii) the distribution of the outer eccentricities has a maximum around e 2 ≈ 0.3, and (iii) the outer mass ratio calculated from an estimated minimum mass of the third component is lower than q 2 ∼ 0.5 for the majority of the sample. We also present some systems that deserve special attention: (i) There are four candidates that show double periodic ETV, which we explain by the presence of a fourth companion; (ii) For two systems, the perturbations of the third component are also found to be significant therefore we give a combined dynamical and LTTE ETV solution; and (iii) For one system, the third component is found to be probably in the substellar mass domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a comprehensive search for hierarchical triple stellar system candidates amongst eclipsing binaries (EBs) observed by the CoRoT spacecraft. We calculate and check eclipse timing variation (ETV) diagrams for almost 1500 EBs in an automated manner. We identify five relatively short period Algol systems for which our combined light-curve and complex ETV analyses (including both the light-travel time effect and short-term dynamical third-body perturbations) resulted in consistent third-body solutions. The computed periods of the outer bodies are between 82 and 272 d (with an alternative solution of 831 d for one of the targets). We find that the inner and outer orbits are near coplanar in all but one case. The dynamical masses of the outer subsystems determined from the ETV analyses are consistent with both the results of our light-curve analyses and the spectroscopic information available in the literature. One of our candidate systems exhibits outer eclipsing events as well, the locations of which are in good agreement with the ETV solution. We also report another certain triply eclipsing triple system that, however, is lacking a reliable ETV solution due to the very short time range of the data, and four new blended systems (composite light curves of two EBs each), where we cannot decide whether the components are gravitationally bounded or not. Amongst these blended systems, we identify the longest period and highest eccentricity EB in the entire CoRoT sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a quintuple star system that contains two eclipsing binaries. The unusual architecture includes two stellar images separated by 11 arcsec on the sky: EPIC 212651213 and EPIC 212651234. The more easterly image (212651213) actually hosts both eclipsing binaries which are resolved within that image at 0.09 arcsec, while the westerly image (212651234) appears to be single in adaptive optics (AO), speckle imaging, and radial velocity (RV) studies. The 'A' binary is circular with a 5.1-d period, while the 'B' binary is eccentric with a 13.1-d period. The γ velocities of the A and B binaries are different by ~10 km s-1. That, coupled with their resolved projected separation of 0.09 arcsec, indicates that the orbital period and separation of the 'C' binary (consisting of A orbiting B) are ≃65 yr and ≃25 au, respectively, under the simplifying assumption of a circular orbit. Motion within the C orbit should be discernible via future RV, AO, and speckle imaging studies within a couple of years. The C system (i.e. 212651213) has an RV and proper motion that differ from that of 212651234 by only &#126p;1.4 km s-1 and ~3 mas yr-1. This set of similar space velocities in three dimensions strongly implies that these two objects are also physically bound, making this at least a quintuple star system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report eclipse timing variation analyses of 26 compact hierarchical triple stars comprised of an eccentric eclipsing (‘inner’) binary and a relatively close tertiary component found in the Kepler field. We simultaneously fit the primary and secondary O − C curves of each system for the light-traveltime effect (LTTE), as well as dynamical perturbations caused by the tertiary on different time-scales. For the first time, we include those contributions of three-body interactions which originate from the eccentric nature of the inner binary. These effects manifest themselves both on the period of the triple system, P2, and on the longer ‘apse-node’ time-scale. We demonstrate that consideration of the dynamically forced rapid apsidal motion yields an efficient and independent tool for the determination of the binary orbit's eccentricity and orientation, as well as the 3D configuration of the triple. Modelling the forced apsidal motion also helps to resolve the degeneracy between the shapes of the LTTE and the dynamical delay terms on the P2 time-scale, due to the strong dependence of the apsidal motion period on the triple's mass ratio. This can lead to the independent determination of the binary and tertiary masses without the need for independent radial velocity measurements. Through the use of our analytic method for fitting O − C curves, we have obtained robust solutions for system parameters for the 10 most ideal triples of our sample, and only somewhat less robust, but yet acceptable, fits for the remaining systems. Finally, we study the results of our 26 system parameter fits via a set of distributions of various physically important parameters, including mutual inclination angle, and mass and period ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

KIC 8560861 (HD 183648) is a marginally eccentric (e = 0.05) eclipsing binary with an orbital period of Porb = 31.973 d, exhibiting mmag amplitude pulsations on time-scales of a few days. We present the results of the complex analysis of high- and medium-resolution spectroscopic data and Kepler Q0 – Q16 long cadence photometry. The iterative combination of spectral disentangling, atmospheric analysis, radial velocity and eclipse timing variation studies, separation of pulsational features of the light curve, and binary light curve analysis led to the accurate determination of the fundamental stellar parameters. We found that the binary is composed of two main-sequence stars with an age of 0.9 ± 0.2 Gyr, having masses, radii and temperatures of M1 = 1.93 ± 0.12 M⊙, R1 = 3.30 ± 0.07 R⊙, Teff1 = 7650 ± 100 K for the primary, and M2 = 1.06 ± 0.08 M⊙, R2 = 1.11 ± 0.03 R⊙, Teff2 = 6450 ± 100 K for the secondary. After substracting the binary model, we found three independent frequencies, two of which are separated by twice the orbital frequency. We also found an enigmatic half orbital period sinusoidal variation that we attribute to an anomalous ellipsoidal effect. Both of these observations indicate that tidal effects are strongly influencing the luminosity variations of HD 183648. The analysis of the eclipse timing variations revealed both a parabolic trend, and apsidal motion with a period of $P_\mathrm{apse}^\mathrm{obs}=10\,400\pm 3\,000$ y, which is ten times faster than what is theoretically expected. These findings might indicate the presence of a distant, unseen companion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We present the analysis of HD 181068 which is one of the first triply eclipsing triple system discovered. Using Kepler photometry, ground based spectroscopic and interferometric measurements, we determined the stellar and orbital parameters of the system. We show that the oscillations observed in the red giant component of the system are tidally forced oscillations, while one of the most surprising results is that it does not show solar-like oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a study of the eclipse timing variations in contact binary systems, using long-cadence lightcurves from the Kepler archive. As a first step, observed minus calculated (O-C) curves were produced for both the primary and secondary eclipses of some 2000 Kepler binaries. We find ~390 short-period binaries with O-C curves that exhibit (1) random walk-like variations or quasi-periodicities, with typical amplitudes of ±200-300 s, and (2) anticorrelations between the primary and secondary eclipse timing variations. We present a detailed analysis and results for 32 of these binaries with orbital periods in the range of 0.35 ± 0.05 days. The anticorrelations observed in their O-C curves cannot be explained by a model involving mass transfer, which, among other things, requires implausibly high rates of ~0.01 Mʘ yr-1. We show that the anticorrelated behavior, the amplitude of the O-C delays, and the overall random walk-like behavior can be explained by the presence of a starspot that is continuously visible around the orbit and slowly changes its longitude on timescales of weeks to months. The quasi-periods of ~50-200 days observed in the O-C curves suggest values for k, the coefficient of the latitude dependence of the stellar differential rotation, of ~0.003-0.013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We investigate the nature of tidal effects in compact triple-star systems. The hierarchical structure of a triple system produces tidal forcing at high frequencies unobtainable in binary systems, allowing for the tidal excitation of high-frequency p-modes in the stellar components. The tidal forcing exists even for circular, aligned and synchronized systems. We calculate the magnitude and frequencies of three-body tidal forcing on the central primary star for circular and coplanar orbits, and we estimate the amplitude of the tidally excited oscillation modes. We also calculate the secular orbital changes induced by the tidally excited modes and show that they can cause significant orbital decay. During certain phases of stellar evolution, the tidal dissipation may be greatly enhanced by resonance locking. We then compare our theory to observations of HD 181068, which is a hierarchical triply eclipsing star system in the Kepler field of view. The observed oscillation frequencies in HD 181068 can be naturally explained by three-body tidal effects. We then compare the observed oscillation amplitudes and phases in HD 181068 to our predictions, finding mostly good agreement. Finally, we discuss the past and future evolution of compact triple systems like HD 181068. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

HD 181068 is the brighter of the two known triply eclipsing hierarchical triple stars in the Kepler field. It has been continuously observed for more than 2 yr with the Kepler space telescope. Of the nine quarters of the data, three have been obtained in short-cadence mode, that is one point per 58.9 s. Here we analyse this unique data set to determine absolute physical parameters (most importantly the masses and radii) and full orbital configuration using a sophisticated novel approach. We measure eclipse timing variations (ETVs), which are then combined with the single-lined radial velocity measurements to yield masses in a manner equivalent to double-lined spectroscopic binaries. We have also developed a new light-curve synthesis code that is used to model the triple, mutual eclipses and the effects of the changing tidal field on the stellar surface and the relativistic Doppler beaming. By combining the stellar masses from the ETV study with the simultaneous light-curve analysis we determine the absolute radii of the three stars. Our results indicate that the close and the wide subsystems revolve in almost exactly coplanar and prograde orbits. The newly determined parameters draw a consistent picture of the system with such details that have been beyond reach before. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Hierarchical triple systems comprise a close binary and a more distant component. They are important for testing theories of star formation and of stellar evolution in the presence of nearby companions. We obtained 218 days of Kepler photometry of HD 181068 (magnitude of 7.1), supplemented by ground-based spectroscopy and interferometry, which show it to be a hierarchical triple with two types of mutual eclipses. The primary is a red giant that is in a 45-day orbit with a pair of red dwarfs in a close 0.9-day orbit. The red giant shows evidence for tidally induced oscillations that are driven by the orbital motion of the close pair. HD 181068 is an ideal target for studies of dynamical evolution and testing tidal friction theories in hierarchical triple systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]