COCONUTS-2b

Last updated
COCONUTS-2b
Coconuts-2b unwise.png
COCONUTS-2b with unWISE. The planet in the center of the image stands out due to its red color. The host star is not pictured here.
Discovery
Discovered by Zhoujian Zhang
Michael Liu
Zach Claytor
William Best
Trent Dupuy
Robert Siverd [1]
Discovery dateAugust 2011 [2]
July 2021 [3]
Direct imaging
Designations
WISEPA J075108.79-763449.6 [2]
Orbital characteristics
7,506.0 AU (1.12288×1012 km) [4] or ~0.1185 ly (~0.03633 pc)
1101369.9 years [4]
Star L 34-26
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
1.12±0.04 RJ [5]
Mass 6.3+1.5
−1.9
MJ [6] [4]
4.11+0.11
−0.18
dex [6]
Temperature 434 ± 9 K [6]
Spectral type
T9

    COCONUTS-2 b, or WISEPA J075108.79-763449.6, is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits the M-type star L 34-26. With a mass of 6.3 Jupiters, it takes over one million years to complete one orbit around the star orbiting 7,506 AU away from it. [1]

    Contents

    The planet was discovered in 2011 and was initially identified as a T9 free-floating brown dwarf WISEPA J075108.79−763449.6. [2] During the COol Companions ON Ultrawide orbiTS (COCONUTS) survey, its association with L 34-26 was announced in 2021. [7] At a distance of 10.9 pc, COCONUTS-2b is the closest directly imaged exoplanet to Earth known to date. [8]

    Proposed formation scenarios

    The researchers found that it is unlikely that COCONUTS-2b was formed inside the protoplanetary disk of the host star and it is more likely that the planet formed on its own via high entropy formation (aka hot-start process). [6] [9]

    The peculiar properties of COCONUTS-2b could be explained with different scenarios as proposed by Marocco et al. in 2024. The properties could be explained by a non-solar carbon-to-oxygen ratio, meaning that it formed inside a disk around L 34-26. In this scenario the most likely way COCONUTS-2b got in a higher orbit is by a stellar fly-by of two binaries or two planetary systems. In the second scenario L 34-26 is not actually young, but mimics youth due to tidal and/or magnetic interactions with an unseen companion. In this scenario COCONUTS-2b would be an old brown dwarf. In a third scenario COCONUTS-2b could be a captured old brown dwarf. This is however seen as unlikely due to the stellar fly-by requiring a low velocity. [10]

    Atmosphere

    The planet has a spectral type of T9, based on a low signal-to-noise near-infrared spectrum with Magellan/FIRE. [2] [6] This spectral type suggests high amounts of methane, water vapor and low amounts of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere of COCONUTS-2b.

    COCONUTS-2b might have both clouds and a non-equilibrium process in its atmosphere. [6]

    Due to its large orbital separation, COCONUTS-2b is a great laboratory to study the atmosphere and composition of young gas-giant exoplanets. [3] Astronomers estimate the planet’s temperature to be around 434 K (161 °C; 322 °F). [6]

    Host star

    L 34-26
    COCONUTS-2 system unWISE.png
    L 34-26 (COCONUTS-2A) and its planetary companion in unWISE
    Observation data
    Epoch J2000.0       Equinox J2000.0
    Constellation Chamaeleon
    Right ascension 07h 49m 12.71s
    Declination +76° 42 02.5
    Apparent magnitude  (V)11.3 [11]
    Characteristics
    Evolutionary stage Red dwarf
    Spectral type M3V [12]
    Astrometry
    Radial velocity (Rv)1.19 [13]  km/s
    Proper motion (μ)RA:  -102.154  mas/yr [13]
    Dec.: -192.918  mas/yr [13]
    Parallax (π)91.8263  mas [13]
    Distance 35.5±0.0065 [6]   ly
    (10.89±0.002  pc)
    Details
    Mass 0.37±0.02 [6]   M
    Radius 0.388±0.11 [6]   R
    Temperature 3,406±69 [6]   K
    Age 475±325 [6]   Myr
    Other designations
    L 34-26, COCONUTS-2A, WISEPA J075108.79-763449.6, 1RXS J074912.9-764202, 2MASS J07491271-7642065, ASAS J074912-7641.9, Gaia DR1 5213167326052013184, Gaia DR2 5213167330349528064, Gaia DR3 5213167330349528064, NLTT 18592 PM J07492-7642,RAVE J074912.7-764207, TIC 272232401, TYC 9381-1809-1, UCAC4 067-006518, USNO-B1.0 0132-00043434
    Database references
    SIMBAD data

    L 34-26, also known as COCONUTS-2A and TYC 9381-1809-1, is a M3-type dwarf star located 35 light-years away, in the constellation of Chamaeleon. The star is about one-third the mass of the Sun, with an age between 150 and 800 million years old. [14]

    Researchers using TESS found that L 34-26 showed stellar flares about every 0.48 days. It was the most active planet hosting star in their sample. The team studying the host star also found that L 34-26 is fast rotating with a rotation period of 2.83 days. The planet should not be influenced by the flares, because of the large orbital separation. [15] The star is seen almost equator-on with i = 81.8±5.8 deg and might belong to the proposed Ursa Major corona, which is 400 million years old. [10]

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown dwarf</span> Type of substellar object larger than a planet

    Brown dwarfs are substellar objects that have more mass than the biggest gas giant planets, but less than the least massive main-sequence stars. Their mass is approximately 13 to 80 times that of Jupiter (MJ)—not big enough to sustain nuclear fusion of ordinary hydrogen (1H) into helium in their cores, but massive enough to emit some light and heat from the fusion of deuterium (2H). The most massive ones can fuse lithium (7Li).

    GJ 1061 is a red dwarf star located 12 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation of Horologium. Even though it is a relatively nearby star, it has an apparent visual magnitude of about 13, so it can only be seen with at least a moderately-sized telescope.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Subdwarf</span> Star of luminosity class VI under the Yerkes spectral classification system

    A subdwarf, sometimes denoted by "sd", is a star with luminosity class VI under the Yerkes spectral classification system. They are defined as stars with luminosity 1.5 to 2 magnitudes lower than that of main-sequence stars of the same spectral type. On a Hertzsprung–Russell diagram subdwarfs appear to lie below the main sequence.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Groombridge 34</span> Binary star system in the constellation of Andromeda

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">AD Leonis</span> M-type star in the constellation Leo

    AD Leonis (Gliese 388) is a red dwarf star. It is located relatively near the Sun, at a distance of 16.2 light-years, in the constellation Leo. AD Leonis is a main sequence star with a spectral classification of M3.5V. It is a flare star that undergoes random increases in luminosity.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Sub-brown dwarf</span> Astronomical objects of planetary size that did not form in orbit around a star

    A sub-brown dwarf or planetary-mass brown dwarf is an astronomical object that formed in the same manner as stars and brown dwarfs but that has a planetary mass, therefore by definition below the limiting mass for thermonuclear fusion of deuterium . Some researchers call them rogue planets whereas others call them planetary-mass brown dwarfs. They are sometimes categorized as Y spectral class brown dwarfs.

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">LTT 1445</span> Star system in the constellation Eridanus

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Cool Companions on Ultrawide Orbits</span>

    The COol Companions ON Ultrawide orbiTS (COCONUTS) program is a large-scale survey for wide-orbit planetary and substellar companions considered the first survey of this type of celestial bodies. In 2021, the team announced COCONUTS-2b, the closest exoplanet directly imaged ever. The program is a dedicated large-scale search for wide-orbit giant planets and brown dwarf companions, targeting a sample of 300,000 stars. By using multi-wavelength photometry and multi-epoch astrometry, astronomers are able to assess the candidates' companionship and ultracool nature.

    References

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    11. Martin, Pierre-Yves (2021). "Planet COCONUTS-2 b". Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia . Retrieved 2023-11-28.
    12. Martin, Pierre-Yves (2021). "Planet COCONUTS-2 b". Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia . Retrieved 2023-11-28.
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