Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Sculptor |
Right ascension | 00h 29m 12.30s [1] |
Declination | −30° 27′ 13.46″ [1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.95 [1] |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | Main sequence |
Spectral type | K7V [1] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | 57.4±0.5 [1] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: 149.95±0.07 [1] mas/yr Dec.: −87.25±0.04 [1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 15.92 ± 0.05 mas [1] |
Distance | 204.9 ± 0.6 ly (62.8 ± 0.2 pc) |
Details | |
Mass | 0.650+0.027 −0.029 [1] M☉ |
Radius | 0.651±0.011 [1] R☉ |
Luminosity (bolometric) | 0.132±0.010 [1] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 4.45±0.15 [1] cgs |
Temperature | 4316±70 [1] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | −0.23±0.05 [1] dex |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 1.5±0.3 [1] km/s |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
TOI-178 is a planetary system in the constellation Sculptor [2] around which six planets have been observed, at at least five of which orbit in a chain of Laplace resonances, which constitute one of the longest chains yet discovered in a system of planets. The system also has unusual variations in the densities among the planets. [3] [4] [1]
The system is 205 light-years away, which is relatively close, implying that such systems may be relatively common. [4] [3] The brightness of the star, TOI-178, facilitates followup observations, which make it an ideal system in which to expand our understanding of planet formation and evolution. [1]
The planetary system was confirmed by data provided by five different planet search projects. After TESS provided first hints at a system with an interesting resonant chain, additional observations to refine the measurement and confirm the finding were provided by CHEOPS, ESPRESSO, NGTS and SPECULOOS. Over the coming years, observations of transit-timing variations in the transits of the various planets, which are expected to range from minutes to tens of minutes, should help pin down the planetary masses and uncover the eccentricities of the various orbits. [1]
Of the six planets, named TOI-178b through TOI-178g as per IAU convention, the outer five are locked in a chain of Laplace resonances. The periods of the planets, in days, revolving around the star are b = 1.91, c = 3.24, d = 6.56, e = 9.96, f = 15.23, and g = 20.71. While this is not a perfect integer ratio, there exists a frame of reference that rotates by roughly 1.37° day−1, in which successive conjunctions of the planets form a repeating pattern. [1] For an observer rotating within this frame of reference, the planets c through g form a chain of resonance that can be expressed as 2:4:6:9:12 in ratios of periods, or as 18:9:6:4:3 in ratios of orbits, which means that for every eighteen revolutions of the planet c, the planet d completes nine, the planet e six, the planet f four, and the planet g three.
In addition, the planet b orbits close to where it would also be a part of the same resonant chain. In a slightly bigger orbit of period of ~1.95 days, it would form a 3:5 resonance with the planet c in the same corotating frame of reference as the other five. It is possible that the entire system originally formed in one long resonant chain, but later the innermost planet was pulled out of it, perhaps by tidal interactions. [1]
Companion (in order from star) | Mass | Semimajor axis (AU) | Orbital period (days) | Eccentricity | Inclination | Radius |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
b | 1.50+0.39 −0.44 M🜨 | 0.02607±0.00078 | 1.914558±0.000018 | — | 88.8+0.8 −1.3 ° | 1.152+0.073 −0.070 R🜨 |
c | 4.77+0.55 −0.68 M🜨 | 0.0370±0.0011 | 3.238450+0.000020 −0.000019 | — | 88.4+1.1 −1.6 ° | 1.669+0.114 −0.099 R🜨 |
d | 3.01+0.80 −1.03 M🜨 | 0.0592±0.0018 | 6.557700±0.000016 | — | 88.58+0.20 −0.18 ° | 2.572+0.075 −0.078 R🜨 |
e | 3.86+1.25 −0.94 M🜨 | 0.0783+0.0023 −0.0024 | 9.961881±0.000042 | — | 88.71+0.16 −0.13 ° | 2.207+0.088 −0.090 R🜨 |
f | 7.72+1.67 −1.52 M🜨 | 0.1039±0.0031 | 15.231915+0.000115 −0.000095 | — | 88.723+0.071 −0.069 ° | 2.287+0.108 −0.110 R🜨 |
g | 3.94+1.31 −1.62 M🜨 | 0.1275+0.0038 −0.0039 | 20.70950+0.00014 −0.00011 | — | 88.823+0.045 −0.047 ° | 2.87+0.14 −0.13 R🜨 |
In celestial mechanics, orbital resonance occurs when orbiting bodies exert regular, periodic gravitational influence on each other, usually because their orbital periods are related by a ratio of small integers. Most commonly, this relationship is found between a pair of objects. The physical principle behind orbital resonance is similar in concept to pushing a child on a swing, whereby the orbit and the swing both have a natural frequency, and the body doing the "pushing" will act in periodic repetition to have a cumulative effect on the motion. Orbital resonances greatly enhance the mutual gravitational influence of the bodies. In most cases, this results in an unstable interaction, in which the bodies exchange momentum and shift orbits until the resonance no longer exists. Under some circumstances, a resonant system can be self-correcting and thus stable. Examples are the 1:2:4 resonance of Jupiter's moons Ganymede, Europa and Io, and the 2:3 resonance between Neptune and Pluto. Unstable resonances with Saturn's inner moons give rise to gaps in the rings of Saturn. The special case of 1:1 resonance between bodies with similar orbital radii causes large planetary system bodies to eject most other bodies sharing their orbits; this is part of the much more extensive process of clearing the neighbourhood, an effect that is used in the current definition of a planet.
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