DISCOVERY OF THE COLDEST IMAGED COMPANION OF A SUN-LIKE STAR

Journal Article · Sun Dec 20 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Astrophysical Journal (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/707/2/L123· OSTI ID:21392563

Thalmann, C; Carson, J; Goto, M; Feldt, M; Henning, T; Klahr, H; Mordasini, C ^[1]; Janson, M ^[2]; McElwain, M ^[3]; Egner, S; Hayano, Y; Suzuki, R ^[4]; Hashimoto, J; Kandori, R; Kudo, T; Kusakabe, N; Morino, J -I; Suto, H; Tamura, M ^[5]

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1. Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg (Germany)
2. University of Toronto, Toronto (Canada)
3. Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (United States)
4. Subaru Telescope, Hilo, HI USA (United States)
5. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tokyo (Japan)

We present the discovery of a brown dwarf or possible planet at a projected separation of 1.''9 = 29 AU around the star GJ 758, placing it between the separations at which substellar companions are expected to form by core accretion (approx5 AU) or direct gravitational collapse (typically approx>100 AU). The object was detected by direct imaging of its thermal glow with Subaru/HiCIAO. At 10-40 times the mass of Jupiter and a temperature of 550-640 K, GJ 758 B constitutes one of the few known T-type companions, and the coldest ever to be imaged in thermal light around a Sun-like star. Its orbit is likely eccentric and of a size comparable to Pluto's orbit, possibly as a result of gravitational scattering or outward migration. A candidate second companion is detected at 1.''2 at one epoch.

• OSTI ID: 21392563
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal (Online), Vol. 707, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/707/2/L123; ISSN 1538-4357
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
GRAVITATIONAL COLLAPSE
JUPITER PLANET
MASS
ORBITS
PLUTO PLANET
SUN
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
PLANETS
STARS