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- Title
WASP-117b: a 10-day-period Saturn in an eccentric and misaligned orbit.
- Authors
Lendl, M.; Triaud, A. H. M. J.; Anderson, D. R.; Collier Cameron, A.; Delrez, L.; Doyle, A. P.; Gillon, M.; Hellier, C.; Jehin, E.; Maxted, P. F. L.; Neveu-VanMalle, M.; Pepe, F.; Pollacco, D.; Queloz, D.; Ségransan, D.; Smalley, B.; Smith, A. M. S.; Udry, S.; Van Grootel, V.; West, R. G.
- Abstract
We report the discovery of WASP-117b, the first planet with a period beyond 10 days found by the WASP survey. The planet has a mass of Mp = 0.2755 ± 0.0089 MJ, a radius of Rp = 1.021 -0.065+0.076 RJ and is in an eccentric (e = 0.302 ± 0.023), 10.02165 ± 0.00055 d orbit around a main-sequence F9 star. The host star's brightness (V = 10.15 mag) makes WASP-117 a good target for followup observations, and with a periastron planetary equilibrium temperature of Teq = 1225 -39+36 K and a low planetary mean density (ρp = 0.259-0.048+0.054 ρJ) it is one of the best targets for transmission spectroscopy among planets with periods around 10 days. From a measurement of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect, we infer a projected angle between the planetary orbit and stellar spin axes of β= -44 _11 deg, and we further derive an orbital obliquity of ψ = 69.6-4.1+4.7 deg. Owing to the large orbital separation, tidal forces causing orbital circularization and realignment of the planetary orbit with the stellar plane are weak, having had little impact on the planetary orbit over the system lifetime. WASP-117b joins a small sample of transiting giant planets with well characterized orbits at periods above ∼8 days.
- Subjects
SATURN (Planet); TIDAL forces (Mechanics); RADIAL velocity of stars; STELLAR photometry; PLANETARY orbits
- Publication
Astronomy & Astrophysics / Astronomie et Astrophysique, 2014, Vol 568, p1
- ISSN
0004-6361
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1051/0004-6361/201424481