TY - JOUR
T1 - First results from very large telescope NACO apodizing phase plate
T2 - 4 μm images of the exoplanet β Pictoris b
AU - Quanz, Sascha P.
AU - Meyer, Michael R.
AU - Kenworthy, Matthew A.
AU - Girard, Julien H.V.
AU - Kasper, Markus
AU - Lagrange, Anne Marie
AU - Apai, Daniel
AU - Boccaletti, Anthony
AU - Bonnefoy, Mickaël
AU - Chauvin, Gael
AU - Hinz, Philip M.
AU - Lenzen, Rainer
PY - 2010/10/10
Y1 - 2010/10/10
N2 - Direct imaging of exoplanets requires both high contrast and h igh spatial resolution. Here, we present the first scientific results obtained with the newly commissioned apodizing phase plate coronagraph (APP) on VLT/NACO.We detected the exoplanet β Pictoris b in the narrowband filter centered at 4.05 μm (NB4.05). The position angle (209. ° 13 ± 2. ° 12) and the projected separation to its host star (0.″.354 ± 0. ″.012, i.e., 6.8 ± 0.2 AU at a distance of 19.3 pc) are in good agreement with the recently presented data from Lagrange et al. Comparing the observed NB4.05 magnitude of 11.20 ± 0.23 mag to theoretical atmospheric models, we find a best fit with a 7-10 M Jupiter object for an age of 12 Myr, again in agreement with previous estimates. Combining our results with published L′photometry, we can compare the planet's [L ′ - NB4.05] color to that of cool field dwarfs of higher surface gravity suggesting an effective temperature of ∼ 1700 K. The best-fit theo retical model predicts an effective temperature of ∼ 1470 K, but this difference is not significant given our photometric uncertainties. Our results demonstrate the potential of NACO/APP for future planet searches and provide independent confirmation as well as complementary data for β Pic b.
AB - Direct imaging of exoplanets requires both high contrast and h igh spatial resolution. Here, we present the first scientific results obtained with the newly commissioned apodizing phase plate coronagraph (APP) on VLT/NACO.We detected the exoplanet β Pictoris b in the narrowband filter centered at 4.05 μm (NB4.05). The position angle (209. ° 13 ± 2. ° 12) and the projected separation to its host star (0.″.354 ± 0. ″.012, i.e., 6.8 ± 0.2 AU at a distance of 19.3 pc) are in good agreement with the recently presented data from Lagrange et al. Comparing the observed NB4.05 magnitude of 11.20 ± 0.23 mag to theoretical atmospheric models, we find a best fit with a 7-10 M Jupiter object for an age of 12 Myr, again in agreement with previous estimates. Combining our results with published L′photometry, we can compare the planet's [L ′ - NB4.05] color to that of cool field dwarfs of higher surface gravity suggesting an effective temperature of ∼ 1700 K. The best-fit theo retical model predicts an effective temperature of ∼ 1470 K, but this difference is not significant given our photometric uncertainties. Our results demonstrate the potential of NACO/APP for future planet searches and provide independent confirmation as well as complementary data for β Pic b.
KW - Planets and satellites: detection
KW - Planets and satellites: formation
KW - Stars: formation
KW - Stars: pre-main sequence
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/78649310286
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/78649310286#tab=citedBy
U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/722/1/L49
DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/722/1/L49
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:78649310286
SN - 2041-8205
VL - 722
SP - L49-L53
JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters
JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters
IS - 1 PART 2
ER -