Prev | Table of Contents | Next
Science 28 November 2008:
Vol. 322 no. 5906 pp. 1348-1352
DOI: 10.1126/science.1166585
  • Research Article

Direct Imaging of Multiple Planets Orbiting the Star HR 8799

  1. Christian Marois1,2,3,*,
  2. Bruce Macintosh2,
  3. Travis Barman4,
  4. B. Zuckerman5,
  5. Inseok Song6,
  6. Jennifer Patience7,
  7. David Lafrenière8 and
  8. René Doyon9
  1. 1 National Research Council Canada, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, 5071 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC V9E 2E7, Canada.
  2. 2 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
  3. 3 Astronomy Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
  4. 4 Lowell Observatory, 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA.
  5. 5 Physics and Astronomy Department and Center for Astrobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
  6. 6 University of Georgia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 240 Physics, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
  7. 7 University of Exeter, School of Physics, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK.
  8. 8 Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 50 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada.
  9. 9 Département de Physique and Observatoire du Mont Mégantic, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada.
  1. * To whom correspondence should be addressed; E-mail: christian.marois{at}nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Abstract

Direct imaging of exoplanetary systems is a powerful technique that can reveal Jupiter-like planets in wide orbits, can enable detailed characterization of planetary atmospheres, and is a key step toward imaging Earth-like planets. Imaging detections are challenging because of the combined effect of small angular separation and large luminosity contrast between a planet and its host star. High-contrast observations with the Keck and Gemini telescopes have revealed three planets orbiting the star HR 8799, with projected separations of 24, 38, and 68 astronomical units. Multi-epoch data show counter clockwise orbital motion for all three imaged planets. The low luminosity of the companions and the estimated age of the system imply planetary masses between 5 and 13 times that of Jupiter. This system resembles a scaled-up version of the outer portion of our solar system.

  • Received for publication 30 September 2008.
  • Accepted for publication 5 November 2008.
Read the Full Text