Kepler-70c
| Exoplanet | List of exoplanets | |
|---|---|---|
| Parent star | ||
| Star | Kepler-70 | |
| Constellation | Cygnus | |
| Right ascension | (α) | 19h 45m 25s |
| Declination | (δ) | +41° 5′ 34″ |
| Apparent magnitude | (mV) | 14.87 [1] |
| Distance | 3849 ± 310 ly (1180 ± 95 [2] pc) | |
| Spectral type | sdB | |
| Mass | (m) | 0.496 ± 0.002 M☉ |
| Radius | (r) | 0.203 ± 0.007 R☉ |
| Temperature | (T) | 27730 ± 270 K |
| Orbital elements | ||
| Semi-major axis | (a) | 0.0076 AU |
| Orbital period | (P) | 0.34289 d |
| Inclination | (i) | ~60° |
| Physical characteristics | ||
| Mass | (m) | 0.655 M⊕ |
| Radius | (r) | 0.867 [note 1][2] R⊕ |
| Stellar flux | (F⊙) | 400000 ⊕ |
| Discovery information | ||
| Discovery date | 12/22/2011 (announced) [3] | |
| Discoverer(s) | Charpinet et al.[3] | |
| Discovery method | Reflection/emission modulations | |
| Discovery site | Kepler telescope | |
| Discovery status | Published | |
| Other designations | ||
| Database references | ||
| Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia | data | |
| SIMBAD | data | |
| Exoplanet Archive | data | |
| Open Exoplanet Catalogue | data | |
Kepler-70c (formerly called KOI-55.02;[3] sometimes listed as KOI-55 c) is a planet discovered orbiting the sdB star Kepler-70. It orbits its host along with another planet, Kepler-70b, both of which orbit very close to their host star. Kepler-70c completes one orbit around its star in just 8.232 hours. It is also the one of the hottest exoplanets as of mid-2013. It has a high density, suggesting that it is largely composed of metals.[4][5]
Kepler-70b passes 240,000 km away from Kepler-70c during their closest approach. This is currently the closest recorded approach between planets. Such orbital configuration is relatively stable due to orbital resonance between planets and small hill spheres of planets due to proximity of the star.
According to the main author of the paper in Nature which announced the discovery of the two planets, Stephane Charpinet, the two planets "probably plunged deep into the star’s envelope during the red giant phase, but survived.”[6] However, this is not the first sighting of planets orbiting a post-red giant star - numerous pulsar planets have been observed, but no planet has been found with such a short period around any star, whether or not on the main sequence.
Origins
The two planets were most likely gas giants which spiraled inward toward their host star, which subsequently became a red giant, vaporizing much of the planets except for parts of their solid cores, which are now orbiting the sdB star.[6] According to the Extrasolar Planets Encyclopedia, the star left the red giant stage 18.4 million years ago.[2]
See also
Notes
- ↑ Assuming an albedo of 0.1.
External links
References
- ↑ "SIMBAD query result". SIMBAD. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Notes for Planet KOI-55 b". Extrasolar Planet Database. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- 1 2 3 Charpinet, S.; et al. (December 21, 2011), "A compact system of small planets around a former red-giant star", Nature 480 (7378): 496–499, Bibcode:2011Natur.480..496C, doi:10.1038/nature10631, PMID 22193103
- ↑ "HEC Top 10 Lists of Exoplanets". Retrieved 11 March 2013.
- ↑ "Kepler mission discoveries". Retrieved 3 July 2013.
- 1 2 "Two More Earth-Sized Planets Discovered by Kepler, Orbiting Former Red Giant Star". Universe Today. Retrieved 1 January 2012.