![]() 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 date | August 2011 (as a free-floating brown dwarf) [2] |
Direct imaging | |
Designations | |
WISEPA J075108.79-763449.6 [2] | |
Orbital characteristics | |
7,506+5,205 −2,060 AU [4] (1.123×1012km) | |
1.1+1.3 −0.4×106 [4] years | |
Star | L 34-26 |
Physical characteristics | |
1.11+0.03 −0.04 RJ [5] | |
Mass | 8±2 MJ [5] |
log(g) = 4.19+0.18 −0.13 cgs [5] | |
Temperature | 483+44 −53 K [5] |
Spectral type | T9.5±0.5 [5] |
COCONUTS-2 b is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits the M-type star L 34-26. With a mass of 8 Jupiters, [5] it takes over one million years to complete one orbit around the star orbiting 7,506 AU away from it. [1]
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. [6] At a distance of 35.5 light-years (10.9 parsecs ), COCONUTS-2b was the closest directly imaged exoplanet to Earth [7] until Epsilon Indi Ab was imaged in 2024.
The researchers found that it is unlikely that COCONUTS-2b was formed inside the protoplanetary disk of the host star and may instead have formed separately. [4] [8]
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. [9]
Another study found that their preferred model showed a metallicity that is lower than the host star, which is inconsistent with in-situ binary-like formation. Only their third-preferred model is consistent with a binary-like formation, because in this model the metallicity of host star and planet agreed. [5]
The planet's spectral type suggests high amounts of methane, water vapor and low amounts of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere of COCONUTS-2b. It might also have both clouds and a non-equilibrium process in its atmosphere. [2] [4]
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). [4]
Observations with Gemini/Flamingos-2 showed a spectral type of T9.5±0.5, near the T/Y transition. The spectrum is also more consistent with disequilibrium chemistry and the presence of clouds. Additionally the atmosphere shows a diabatic thermal structure, meaning the pressure-temperature profile is non-adiabatic. Adiabatic means here an increase of the temperature with pressure. The observation also indicate a sub- or near-solar metallicity. [5]
Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Chamaeleon |
Right ascension | 07h 49m 12.678s [10] |
Declination | −76° 42′ 06.72″ [10] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.3 [11] |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | Red dwarf |
Spectral type | M3V [11] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | 1.19±0.61 [12] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: -102.154 mas/yr [10] Dec.: -192.918 mas/yr [10] |
Parallax (π) | 91.8263 ± 0.0185 mas [10] |
Distance | 35.519 ± 0.007 ly (10.890 ± 0.002 pc) |
Details | |
Mass | 0.37±0.02 [4] M☉ |
Radius | 0.388±0.011 [4] R☉ |
Temperature | 3,406±69 [4] K |
Age | 150–800 [4] Myr |
Other designations | |
L 34-26, COCONUTS-2A, WISEPA J075108.79-763449.6, 1RXS J074912.9-764202, 2MASS J07491271-7642065, NLTT 18592, TIC 272232401, TYC 9381-1809-1, UCAC4 067-006518 | |
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. [13]
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. [14] 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. [9]