Discovery of a cool planet of 5.5 Earth masses through gravitational microlensing

J. P. Beaulieu; D. P. Bennett; P. Fouqué; A. Williams; M. Dominik; U. G. Jørgensen; D. Kubas; A. Cassan; C. Coutures; J. Greenhill; K. Hill; J. Menzies; P. D. Sackett; M. Albrow; S. Brillant; J. A.R. Caldwell; J. J. Calitz; K. H. Cook; E. Corrales; M. Desort; S. Dieters; D. Dominis; J. Donatowicz; M. Hoffman; S. Kane; J. B. Marquette; R. Martin; P. Meintjes; K. Pollard; K. Sahu; C. Vinter; J. Wambsganss; K. Woller; K. Horne; I. Steele; D. M. Bramich; M. Burgdorf; C. Snodgrass; M. Bode; A. Udalski; M. K. Szymański; M. Kubiak; T. Wiȩckowski; G. Pietrzyński; I. Soszyński; O. Szewczyk; Wyrzykowski; B. Paczyński; F. Abe; I. A. Bond; T. R. Britton; A. C. Gilmore; J. B. Hearnshaw; Y. Itow; K. Kamiya; P. M. Kilmartin; A. V. Korpela; K. Masuda; Y. Matsubara; M. Motomura; Y. Muraki; S. Nakamura; C. Okada; K. Ohnishi; N. J. Rattenbury; T. Sako; S. Sato; M. Sasaki; T. Sekiguchi; D. J. Sullivan; P. J. Tristram; P. C.M. Yock; T. Yoshioka

doi:10.1038/nature04441

Discovery of a cool planet of 5.5 Earth masses through gravitational microlensing

J. P. Beaulieu^*, D. P. Bennett, P. Fouqué, A. Williams, M. Dominik, U. G. Jørgensen, D. Kubas, A. Cassan, C. Coutures, J. Greenhill, K. Hill, J. Menzies, P. D. Sackett, M. Albrow, S. Brillant, J. A.R. Caldwell, J. J. Calitz, K. H. Cook, E. Corrales, M. DesortS. Dieters, D. Dominis, J. Donatowicz, M. Hoffman, S. Kane, J. B. Marquette, R. Martin, P. Meintjes, K. Pollard, K. Sahu, C. Vinter, J. Wambsganss, K. Woller, K. Horne, I. Steele, D. M. Bramich, M. Burgdorf, C. Snodgrass, M. Bode, A. Udalski, M. K. Szymański, M. Kubiak, T. Wiȩckowski, G. Pietrzyński, I. Soszyński, O. Szewczyk, Wyrzykowski, B. Paczyński, F. Abe, I. A. Bond, T. R. Britton, A. C. Gilmore, J. B. Hearnshaw, Y. Itow, K. Kamiya, P. M. Kilmartin, A. V. Korpela, K. Masuda, Y. Matsubara, M. Motomura, Y. Muraki, S. Nakamura, C. Okada, K. Ohnishi, N. J. Rattenbury, T. Sako, S. Sato, M. Sasaki, T. Sekiguchi, D. J. Sullivan, P. J. Tristram, P. C.M. Yock, T. Yoshioka

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

492 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In the favoured core-accretion model of formation of planetary systems, solid planetesimals accumulate to build up planetary cores, which then accrete nebular gas if they are sufficiently massive. Around M-dwarf stars (the most common stars in our Galaxy), this model favours the formation of Earth-mass (M_⊕) to Neptune-mass planets with orbital radii of 1 to 10 astronomical units (AU), which is consistent with the small number of gas giant planets known to orbit M-dwarf host stars^1-4. More than 170 extrasolar planets have been discovered with a wide range of masses and orbital periods, but planets of Neptune's mass or less have not hitherto been detected at separations of more than 0.15 AU from normal stars. Here we report the discovery of a 5.5_-2.7^+5.5 M_⊕ planetary companion at a separation of 2.6_-0.6^+1.5 AU from a 0.22_-0.11^+0.21 M_⊙ M-dwarf star, where M_⊙ refers to a solar mass. (We propose to name it OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, indicating a planetary mass companion to the lens star of the microlensing event.) The mass is lower than that of GJ876d (ref. 5), although the error bars overlap. Our detection suggests that such cool, sub-Neptune-mass planets may be more common than gas giant planets, as predicted by the core accretion theory.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	437-440
Number of pages	4
Journal	Nature
Volume	439
Issue number	7075
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04441
Publication status	Published - 26 Jan 2006

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Beaulieu, J. P., Bennett, D. P., Fouqué, P., Williams, A., Dominik, M., Jørgensen, U. G., Kubas, D., Cassan, A., Coutures, C., Greenhill, J., Hill, K., Menzies, J., Sackett, P. D., Albrow, M., Brillant, S., Caldwell, J. A. R., Calitz, J. J., Cook, K. H., Corrales, E., ... Yoshioka, T. (2006). Discovery of a cool planet of 5.5 Earth masses through gravitational microlensing. Nature, 439(7075), 437-440. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04441

@article{8de150ef702947889c2e3d7e4c653da1,

title = "Discovery of a cool planet of 5.5 Earth masses through gravitational microlensing",

abstract = "In the favoured core-accretion model of formation of planetary systems, solid planetesimals accumulate to build up planetary cores, which then accrete nebular gas if they are sufficiently massive. Around M-dwarf stars (the most common stars in our Galaxy), this model favours the formation of Earth-mass (M⊕) to Neptune-mass planets with orbital radii of 1 to 10 astronomical units (AU), which is consistent with the small number of gas giant planets known to orbit M-dwarf host stars1-4. More than 170 extrasolar planets have been discovered with a wide range of masses and orbital periods, but planets of Neptune's mass or less have not hitherto been detected at separations of more than 0.15 AU from normal stars. Here we report the discovery of a 5.5-2.7+5.5 M⊕ planetary companion at a separation of 2.6-0.6+1.5 AU from a 0.22-0.11+0.21 M⊙ M-dwarf star, where M⊙ refers to a solar mass. (We propose to name it OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, indicating a planetary mass companion to the lens star of the microlensing event.) The mass is lower than that of GJ876d (ref. 5), although the error bars overlap. Our detection suggests that such cool, sub-Neptune-mass planets may be more common than gas giant planets, as predicted by the core accretion theory.",

author = "Beaulieu, {J. P.} and Bennett, {D. P.} and P. Fouqu{\'e} and A. Williams and M. Dominik and J{\o}rgensen, {U. G.} and D. Kubas and A. Cassan and C. Coutures and J. Greenhill and K. Hill and J. Menzies and Sackett, {P. D.} and M. Albrow and S. Brillant and Caldwell, {J. A.R.} and Calitz, {J. J.} and Cook, {K. H.} and E. Corrales and M. Desort and S. Dieters and D. Dominis and J. Donatowicz and M. Hoffman and S. Kane and Marquette, {J. B.} and R. Martin and P. Meintjes and K. Pollard and K. Sahu and C. Vinter and J. Wambsganss and K. Woller and K. Horne and I. Steele and Bramich, {D. M.} and M. Burgdorf and C. Snodgrass and M. Bode and A. Udalski and Szyma{\'n}ski, {M. K.} and M. Kubiak and T. Wiȩckowski and G. Pietrzy{\'n}ski and I. Soszy{\'n}ski and O. Szewczyk and Wyrzykowski and B. Paczy{\'n}ski and F. Abe and Bond, {I. A.} and Britton, {T. R.} and Gilmore, {A. C.} and Hearnshaw, {J. B.} and Y. Itow and K. Kamiya and Kilmartin, {P. M.} and Korpela, {A. V.} and K. Masuda and Y. Matsubara and M. Motomura and Y. Muraki and S. Nakamura and C. Okada and K. Ohnishi and Rattenbury, {N. J.} and T. Sako and S. Sato and M. Sasaki and T. Sekiguchi and Sullivan, {D. J.} and Tristram, {P. J.} and Yock, {P. C.M.} and T. Yoshioka",

year = "2006",

month = jan,

day = "26",

doi = "10.1038/nature04441",

language = "English",

volume = "439",

pages = "437--440",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "7075",

}

Beaulieu, JP, Bennett, DP, Fouqué, P, Williams, A, Dominik, M, Jørgensen, UG, Kubas, D, Cassan, A, Coutures, C, Greenhill, J, Hill, K, Menzies, J, Sackett, PD, Albrow, M, Brillant, S, Caldwell, JAR, Calitz, JJ, Cook, KH, Corrales, E, Desort, M, Dieters, S, Dominis, D, Donatowicz, J, Hoffman, M, Kane, S, Marquette, JB, Martin, R, Meintjes, P, Pollard, K, Sahu, K, Vinter, C, Wambsganss, J, Woller, K, Horne, K, Steele, I, Bramich, DM, Burgdorf, M, Snodgrass, C, Bode, M, Udalski, A, Szymański, MK, Kubiak, M, Wiȩckowski, T, Pietrzyński, G, Soszyński, I, Szewczyk, O, Wyrzykowski, Paczyński, B, Abe, F, Bond, IA, Britton, TR, Gilmore, AC, Hearnshaw, JB, Itow, Y, Kamiya, K, Kilmartin, PM, Korpela, AV, Masuda, K, Matsubara, Y, Motomura, M, Muraki, Y, Nakamura, S, Okada, C, Ohnishi, K, Rattenbury, NJ, Sako, T, Sato, S, Sasaki, M, Sekiguchi, T, Sullivan, DJ, Tristram, PJ, Yock, PCM & Yoshioka, T 2006, 'Discovery of a cool planet of 5.5 Earth masses through gravitational microlensing', Nature, vol. 439, no. 7075, pp. 437-440. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04441

TY - JOUR

T1 - Discovery of a cool planet of 5.5 Earth masses through gravitational microlensing

AU - Beaulieu, J. P.

AU - Bennett, D. P.

AU - Fouqué, P.

AU - Williams, A.

AU - Dominik, M.

AU - Jørgensen, U. G.

AU - Kubas, D.

AU - Cassan, A.

AU - Coutures, C.

AU - Greenhill, J.

AU - Hill, K.

AU - Menzies, J.

AU - Sackett, P. D.

AU - Albrow, M.

AU - Brillant, S.

AU - Caldwell, J. A.R.

AU - Calitz, J. J.

AU - Cook, K. H.

AU - Corrales, E.

AU - Desort, M.

AU - Dieters, S.

AU - Dominis, D.

AU - Donatowicz, J.

AU - Hoffman, M.

AU - Kane, S.

AU - Marquette, J. B.

AU - Martin, R.

AU - Meintjes, P.

AU - Pollard, K.

AU - Sahu, K.

AU - Vinter, C.

AU - Wambsganss, J.

AU - Woller, K.

AU - Horne, K.

AU - Steele, I.

AU - Bramich, D. M.

AU - Burgdorf, M.

AU - Snodgrass, C.

AU - Bode, M.

AU - Udalski, A.

AU - Szymański, M. K.

AU - Kubiak, M.

AU - Wiȩckowski, T.

AU - Pietrzyński, G.

AU - Soszyński, I.

AU - Szewczyk, O.

AU - Wyrzykowski,

AU - Paczyński, B.

AU - Abe, F.

AU - Bond, I. A.

AU - Britton, T. R.

AU - Gilmore, A. C.

AU - Hearnshaw, J. B.

AU - Itow, Y.

AU - Kamiya, K.

AU - Kilmartin, P. M.

AU - Korpela, A. V.

AU - Masuda, K.

AU - Matsubara, Y.

AU - Motomura, M.

AU - Muraki, Y.

AU - Nakamura, S.

AU - Okada, C.

AU - Ohnishi, K.

AU - Rattenbury, N. J.

AU - Sako, T.

AU - Sato, S.

AU - Sasaki, M.

AU - Sekiguchi, T.

AU - Sullivan, D. J.

AU - Tristram, P. J.

AU - Yock, P. C.M.

AU - Yoshioka, T.

PY - 2006/1/26

Y1 - 2006/1/26

N2 - In the favoured core-accretion model of formation of planetary systems, solid planetesimals accumulate to build up planetary cores, which then accrete nebular gas if they are sufficiently massive. Around M-dwarf stars (the most common stars in our Galaxy), this model favours the formation of Earth-mass (M⊕) to Neptune-mass planets with orbital radii of 1 to 10 astronomical units (AU), which is consistent with the small number of gas giant planets known to orbit M-dwarf host stars1-4. More than 170 extrasolar planets have been discovered with a wide range of masses and orbital periods, but planets of Neptune's mass or less have not hitherto been detected at separations of more than 0.15 AU from normal stars. Here we report the discovery of a 5.5-2.7+5.5 M⊕ planetary companion at a separation of 2.6-0.6+1.5 AU from a 0.22-0.11+0.21 M⊙ M-dwarf star, where M⊙ refers to a solar mass. (We propose to name it OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, indicating a planetary mass companion to the lens star of the microlensing event.) The mass is lower than that of GJ876d (ref. 5), although the error bars overlap. Our detection suggests that such cool, sub-Neptune-mass planets may be more common than gas giant planets, as predicted by the core accretion theory.

AB - In the favoured core-accretion model of formation of planetary systems, solid planetesimals accumulate to build up planetary cores, which then accrete nebular gas if they are sufficiently massive. Around M-dwarf stars (the most common stars in our Galaxy), this model favours the formation of Earth-mass (M⊕) to Neptune-mass planets with orbital radii of 1 to 10 astronomical units (AU), which is consistent with the small number of gas giant planets known to orbit M-dwarf host stars1-4. More than 170 extrasolar planets have been discovered with a wide range of masses and orbital periods, but planets of Neptune's mass or less have not hitherto been detected at separations of more than 0.15 AU from normal stars. Here we report the discovery of a 5.5-2.7+5.5 M⊕ planetary companion at a separation of 2.6-0.6+1.5 AU from a 0.22-0.11+0.21 M⊙ M-dwarf star, where M⊙ refers to a solar mass. (We propose to name it OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, indicating a planetary mass companion to the lens star of the microlensing event.) The mass is lower than that of GJ876d (ref. 5), although the error bars overlap. Our detection suggests that such cool, sub-Neptune-mass planets may be more common than gas giant planets, as predicted by the core accretion theory.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=31444432828&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/nature04441

DO - 10.1038/nature04441

M3 - Article

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 439

SP - 437

EP - 440

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 7075

ER -

Discovery of a cool planet of 5.5 Earth masses through gravitational microlensing

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