Epsilon Reticuli b
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Extrasolar planet | List of extrasolar planets | |
|---|---|---|
| Orbital elements | ||
| Semimajor axis | (a) | 1.271±0.073 AU |
| Eccentricity | (e) | 0.060±0.043 |
| Orbital period | (P) | 428.1±1.1 d |
| Angular distance | (θ) | 65.193 mas |
| Longitude of periastron |
(ω) | 216° |
| Time of periastron | (T0) | 2,451,963±55 JD |
| Semi-amplitude | (K) | 32.2±1.4 m/s |
| Physical characteristics | ||
| Mass | (m) | >1.56±0.14 MJ |
| Discovery information | ||
| Discovery date | Dec 16, 2000 | |
| Discoverer(s) | Butler, Tinney, Marcy et al. |
|
| Detection method | Radial velocity | |
| Discovery site | Anglo-Australian Observatory |
|
| Discovery status | Published | |
| Other designations | ||
|
Epsilon Reticuli Ab
|
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Epsilon Reticuli b, sometimes designated Epsilon Reticuli Ab to distinguish from the white dwarf companion of the primary star Epsilon Reticuli, also known as HD 27442, was discovered on December 16, 2000 by the Anglo-Australian Planet Search Team using the highly successful radial velocity method. The planet's mass is at least 56% greater than Jupiter, a more accurate estimate requiring its inclination to be known.
The planet orbits its parent star relatively close, and with more than twice the eccentricity of Earth's orbit. The planet is certainly a gas giant and although this does not preclude life as we may or not know it, the planet still receives more than 16 times the heat Earth receives at Perihelion, and this factor is what dissolves hope of it having life, in the planet's atmosphere or in any massive moons (which cannot be detected with current technology) that the planet may have within its Hill sphere radius.
[edit] Basic Insolation Figures Chart
| Planet Distance | Insolation (W/m2) | % of Earth's. |
|---|---|---|
| Mars' Aphelion Flux | 493.335 | 36.11% |
| Mars' Average Flux | 588.947 | 43.11% |
| Mars' Perihelion Flux | 717.577 | 52.53% |
| Earth's Aphelion Flux | 1,323.444 | 96.88% |
| Earth's Average Flux | 1,366.079 | 100.00% |
| Earth's Perihelion Flux | 1,414.936 | 103.58% |
| Venus' Aphelion Flux | 2,581.885 | 189.00% |
| Venus' Average Flux | 2,613.359 | 191.30% |
| Venus' Perihelion Flux | 2,653.077 | 194.21% |
| Epsilon Reticuli b Aphelion Flux | 17,059.045 | 1248.76% |
| Epsilon Reticuli b Average Flux | 19,502.849[1] | 1427.65% |
| Epsilon Reticuli b Perihelion Flux | 22,581.687 | 1653.03% |
[1] ((1.2 × 6.955e8 m)2 (5.67051e-8) (4749°K)4) / (1.271×149597876600)2 = 19,502.849 W/m2
[edit] References
- Butler et al. (2001). "Two New Planets from the Anglo-Australian Planet Search". The Astrophysical Journal 555 (1): 410 – 417. doi:.
- Butler et al. (2006). "Catalog of Nearby Exoplanets". The Astrophysical Journal 646 (1): 505 – 522. doi:. (web Preprint)
[edit] External links
- SIMBAD planet entry
- The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia entry
- ε Reticuli at Extrasolar Visions
- ε Reticuli Ab at Extrasolar Visions
