Hubble Space Telescope astrometry of the closest brown dwarf binary system - I. Overview and improved orbit

Located at 2 pc, the L7.5+T0.5 dwarfs system WISE J104915.57-531906.1 (Luhman 16 AB) is the third closest system known to Earth, making it a key benchmark for detailed investigation of brown dwarf atmospheric properties, thermal evolution, multiplicity, and planet-hosting frequency. In the first study of this series - based on a multicycle Hubble Space Telescope (HST) program - we provide an overview of the project and present improved estimates of positions, proper motions, annual parallax, mass ratio, and the current best assessment of the orbital parameters of the A-B pair. Our HST observations encompass the apparent periastron of the binary at 220.5 ± 0.2 mas at epoch 2016.402. Although our data seem to be inconsistent with recent ground-based astrometric measurements, we also exclude the presence of third bodies down to Neptune masses and periods longer than a year.