Kepler-46
Kepler-46
Artist's conception of the Kepler-46 system showing the two planets. Planet b transits its star, the same method by which it was detected.
Observation dataEpoch J2000      Equinox J2000
ConstellationLyra[1]
Right ascension19h 17m 04.4930s[2]
Declination42° 36′ 15.041″[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)15.7[3]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stagemain sequence[2]
Spectral typeG[4]
Apparent magnitude (J) 13.814[5]
Apparent magnitude (H) 13.436[5]
Apparent magnitude (K) 13.347[5]
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ)RA: 3.101(24)mas/yr[2]Dec.: 0.864(27)mas/yr[2]
Parallax (π)1.2963±0.0225 mas[2]
Distance2,520 ± 40 ly (770 ± 10 pc)
Details
Mass0.902+0.040−0.038[6] M☉
Radius0.938+0.038−0.039[6] R☉
Luminosity0.43[7] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)4.55[7] cgs
Temperature5155±150[6] K
Metallicity[Fe/H]0.41±0.10[6] dex
Rotation27.859±0.075 days[8]
Age9.7+3.7−3.5[6] Gyr
Other designations
Gaia DR2 2102700131386216576, KOI-872, KIC 7109675, 2MASS J19170449+4236150[5]
Database references
SIMBADdata
KICdata

Kepler-46, previously designated KOI-872, is a star located in the constellation Lyra. Observed since 2009 by the Kepler space observatory, it has since been found to possess a planetary system consisting of at least three planets and while it has a similar mass to the Sun (90%) it is significantly older at ten billion years.[6]

Kepler-46 b (previously KOI-872.01), was the first planet discovered in the system. It was found through detailed analysis of Kepler space observatory data. An additional planet, Kepler-46 c, was discovered by an outside group using Kepler public data through analysis of transit timing variations. While only one additional planet was confirmed by the analysis, the study revealed the potential existence of an unconfirmed planet KOI-872.03 (KOI-872 d).[9] Validation by the multiplicity method confirmed the existence of this planet which was then renamed Kepler-46d.

Planetary system

Planet b is a gas giant planet with a mass slightly less than that of Jupiter.[6] The second planet in the system was among the first to be discovered through the method of transit timing variations, and through its confirmation of KOI-872 c with a 99% confidence level has shown that the method of detection may be used to detect future extrasolar planets and, possibly, extrasolar moons.[10] This second planet exerted a gravitational force on the first planet, orbiting its host star in just 34 days. While this usually occurs on an extremely regular schedule, additional planets within the system can disrupt the time of the transit, and these disruptions can indicate the presence of a planet, even if the disrupting planet does not pass in front of the host star itself.[10]

The data show that Kepler-46 c is an approximately Saturn-mass object with an orbital period of 57 days.[10] As the planet does not itself transit its host star, there is no way of knowing its size (probably a similar size to its sibling). The measurements also suggest the existence of another planet orbiting with a period of about 6.8 days,[9] and this planet was confirmed in 2016.[11]

The method in which the planet was detected is similar to the way that the planet Neptune was discovered, in which the newly discovered planet is detected by its pull on another which is already known to exist.[12]

In 2021, it was found the orbital plane of Kepler-46b is slowly changing, likely under the gravitational influence of the additional giant planet.[13]

The Kepler-46 planetary system[9][6]
Companion(in order from star)MassSemimajor axis(AU)Orbital period(days)EccentricityInclinationRadius
d3.339 M🜨0.0679±0.00356.76671+0.00013−0.000120(assumed) 88.55+0.49−0.69°0.1510+0.0094−0.0098 RJ
b0.885+0.374−0.343 MJ0.1971±0.000133.648+0.004−0.0050.0321+0.0069−0.007889.04±0.14°0.810+0.035−0.36 RJ
c0.362±0.016 MJ0.2811±0.000357.325+0.116−0.0980.0354+0.0057−0.005988.66+0.26−0.27°—

References

  1. ^Roman, Nancy G. (1987). "Identification of a constellation from a position". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 99 (617): 695. Bibcode:1987PASP...99..695R. doi:10.1086/132034.Constellation record for this object at VizieR.
  2. ^ abcdeVallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 674: A1. arXiv:2208.00211. Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940. S2CID 244398875.Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  3. ^Zacharias, N.; Finch, C. T.; Girard, T. M.; Henden, A.; Bartlett, J. L.; Monet, D. G.; Zacharias, M. I. (2012). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: UCAC4 Catalogue (Zacharias+, 2012)". Vizier Online Data Catalog. Bibcode:2012yCat.1322....0Z.
  4. ^Li, Xue; Wang, Song; Han, Henggeng; Liu, Jifeng (2025). "Ultraviolet Photometry and Habitable Zones of over 2700 Planet-hosting Stars". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 276 (1): 29. arXiv:2410.23665. Bibcode:2025ApJS..276...29L. doi:10.3847/1538-4365/ad9011.
  5. ^ abcd"Kepler-46". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  6. ^ abcdefghSaad-Olivera, Ximena; et al. (2017). "Masses of Kepler-46b, c from Transit Timing Variations". The Astronomical Journal. 153 (4). 198. arXiv:1704.01541. Bibcode:2017AJ....153..198S. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aa64e0. S2CID 119513521.
  7. ^ abMathur, Savita; Claytor, Zachary R.; Santos, Ângela R. G.; García, Rafael A.; Amard, Louis; Bugnet, Lisa; Corsaro, Enrico; Bonanno, Alfio; Breton, Sylvain N.; Godoy-Rivera, Diego; Pinsonneault, Marc H.; Van Saders, Jennifer (2023). "Magnetic Activity Evolution of Solar-like Stars. I. S ph-Age Relation Derived from Kepler Observations". The Astrophysical Journal. 952 (2): 131. arXiv:2306.11657. Bibcode:2023ApJ...952..131M. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/acd118.
  8. ^McQuillan, A.; Mazeh, T.; Aigrain, S. (2013). "Stellar Rotation Periods of The Kepler objects of Interest: A Dearth of Close-In Planets Around Fast Rotators". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 775 (1). L11. arXiv:1308.1845. Bibcode:2013ApJ...775L..11M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/775/1/L11. S2CID 118557681.
  9. ^ abcNesvorny, D.; et al. (2012). "The Detection and Characterization of a Nontransiting Planet by Transit Timing Variations". Science. 336 (6085): 1133–6. arXiv:1208.0942. Bibcode:2012Sci...336.1133N. doi:10.1126/science.1221141. PMID 22582018. S2CID 41455466.
  10. ^ abcMoskowitz, Clara (May 10, 2012). "Hidden Alien Planet Revealed by Its Own Gravity". Space.com. Space.com. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  11. ^Huang, Chelsea; Wu, Yanqin; Triaud, Amaury H. M. J. (2016), "Warm Jupiters Are Less Lonely Than Hot Jupiters: Close Neighbors", The Astrophysical Journal, 825 (2): 98, arXiv:1601.05095, Bibcode:2016ApJ...825...98H, doi:10.3847/0004-637X/825/2/98, S2CID 119290761
  12. ^Crockett, Christopher (May 12, 2012). "New planet found in distant solar system by its tug on another world". EarthSky. Earthsky Communications. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
  13. ^Shahaf, Sahar; Mazeh, Tsevi; Zucker, Shay; Fabrycky, Daniel (2021), "Systematic search for long-term transit duration changes in Kepler transiting planets", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 505 (1): 1293–1310, arXiv:2105.04318, Bibcode:2021MNRAS.505.1293S, doi:10.1093/mnras/stab1359
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