Four Stars Dance: Compact 3+1 System TIC 120362137 Discovered, Fits Between Sun & Jupiter!

• NASA's TESS discovered TIC 120362137, a rare 'quadruple star' system, the densest '3+1' system found.
• It features three stars orbiting closely, with a fourth star monitoring from a slight distance.
• The entire system is so compact it could fit between our Sun and Jupiter; the inner three stars fit within Mercury's orbit.
• Initially thought to be a simple binary, additional dimming revealed the third star, and TRES confirmed the fourth.
• Scientists predict the system will eventually end as two white dwarfs after millions of years, involving mergers and red giant phases.