ARE THESE STARS LOOKING BACK AT US?
---------------------------------
John Pazmino
NYSkies Astronomy Inc
nyskies@nyskies.org
www.nyskies.org
2002 September 27 initial
2012 January 27 current
With the ongoing discovery of planets around other stars and
increased public awareness of them, I collect here a list of the more
showy of these planetary stars. I include the entire celestial sphere,
recognizing the global residences and travels of NYSkies members.
A planetary star is a star hosting exoplanets or extrasolar
planets. The study of planets at other stars is displacing the term
'planetary nebula' from its use for the remanent of a nova. Such a
nebula has nothing to do with planets. The name was invented by
Herschel for the nebula's appearance as a ghostly planet disc.
'Planetary nebula' is increasingly applied to a nebula associated
with planets at a star. The nova nebula is drifting to be called a
'globular nebula', appropriate from its typical round shape.
Most of the stars hosting planets are faint and unappealing for
home astronomers. However, a surprising number are bright enough to
see by eye under a dark sky or in binoculars. NYSkies telescopists at
starviewing sessions include these stars, according at their lattiude,
date, and hour constraints, on their roster of targets.
I set out here some facts and figures for these bright planetary
stars. I previously limited the list to stars with Bayer or Flamsteed
names so you can find them on binocular-level star atlases.
It happens that there are many planetary stars brighter than 6th
magnitude that somehow missed having a Bayer/Flamsteed designation.
Many are included here if they are likely to be plotted, while
probably not labeled, on binocular-level star atlases.
Several readers from southern latitudes pointed out an extra
benefit. Southern constellations lack a consistent Bayer/Flamsteed
system. Their numbered stars are more likely to be Gould designations.
By now including stars with no Bayer/Flamsteed names, I'll capture a
fairer portion of southern planetary stars.
I update this article irregularly to enroll newly found bright
planetary stars and to revise the data of current ones. You can spot
newly found planets by their year of announcement in the last column
of the table. The current issue of this article is at
'www.nyskies.org/articles/pazmino/planstar.htm', It bears the date of
the latest revision.
The columns 'star' thru 'spec' give the usual specs for the star
and are essentially fixed data. The HD number comes from the Henry
Draper catalog, a prime source for candidate planetary stars and the
usual way to reference them.
The distances are now parsec in column 'pc'. They were lightyears
previously in column 'ly'. Mind this well for any manipulation of
distance data. Distances are rounded to the whole parsec.
'Sun' is the apparent magnitude of Sun as seen from the star. This
is (Sun app magn) = 5 * log(pc) - (0.2). This is the distance modulus
formula with the Sun's absolute magnitude of +43. As an example, the
Sun seen from 51 Pegasi (the first bright planetary star) is of
apparent magnitude 5 * log(14.7pc) - (0.2) = 5.6.
'Mjup' is the planet's mass in Jupiter units. The value is (true
mass)*(sin(orbit inclination)). The planet could be far more massive.
Some references cite mass in Earth units. Jupiter is 318 Earth masses.
'SMA' is the semimajor axis of the planet's orbit in AU. This
handles the frequent inquiry about the distance of the planet from its
star compared to Earth's distance from Sun. In general, the planets
run in strongly excentric orbits, not closely circular ones like the
planets of our solar system.
'period' is the planet's orbital period, its year, in Earth days.
'year' is when the planet was announced. This typicly is the end
of a multiyear study of the planet to establish its properties.
Following the table are comments about some of the stars some
statistics about the stars and planets.
------------------------------------------------------------------
star cns HD num R A 2000 Dec mag spec pc Sun Mjup SMA period year
---- --- ------ ------------ --- ---- --- --- ----- ----- ------ ----
--- Phe 142 00 06 -49 05 5.7 G1.4 21 6.4 1.03 1 339 2001
54 Psc 3651 00 39 +21 16 5.8 K0.5 11 5.0 0.2 0.28 62.2 2003
ups And 9826 01 37 +41 25 4.1 F8.5 13 5.4 0.69 0.06 4.6 1996
14.57 0.86 237.7 1999
10.19 2.55 1302.6 1999
q1 Eri 10647 01 43 -53 44 5.5 F8.5 17 6.0 0.93 2.03 1003 2003
109 Psc 10697 01 45 +20 05 6.3 G5.4 33 7.4 6.38 2.16 1076.4 1999
eta2 Hyi 11977 01 55 -67 39 4.7 G8.5 67 8.9 6.54 1.93 711 2005
alp Ari 12929 02 07 +23 28 2.0 K2.3 20 6.3 1.8 1.2 380.8 2011
79 Cet 16141 02 35 -03 34 6.8 G5.4 36 7.6 0.23 0.35 75.6 2000
30B Ari 16232 02 37 +24 59 7.1 F6.5 39 7.8 9.88 0.995 335.1 2009
lam2 For 16417 02 37 -34 35 5.8 G1.5 26 6.8 0.07 0.14 17.2 2009
81 Cet 16400 02 38 -03 24 5.7 G5.3 97 9.7 5.3 2.5 952.7 2008
iot Hor 17051 02 43 -50 48 5.4 G0.5 16 6.0 2.26 0.93 320 1999
94 Cet 19994 03 13 -01 11 5.1 F8.5 22 6.5 1.68 1.42 535.7 2000
e Eri 20794 03 20 -43 04 4.3 G8.5 6 3.7 0.01 0.12 18.3 2011
0.01 0.20 40.1 2011
0.02 0.35 90.3 2011
eps Eri 22049 03 33 -09 27 3.7 K2.5 3 2.3 1.55 3.39 2502 2000
0.1 40 9999 2003
eps Ret 27442 04 17 -59 18 4.4 K2.4 18 6.1 1.35 1.16 415.2 2000
eps Tau 28305 04 29 +19 11 3.5 K0.3 45 8.1 7.6 1.93 594.9 2007
--- Eri 30562 04 49 -05 40 5.8 F8.5 27 6.9 1.29 2.3 1157 2009
--- Cam 33564 05 23 +79 14 5.1 F6.5 31 7.3 9.1 1.1 388 2005
pi Men 39091 05 37 -80 28 5.7 G1.4 21 6.4 10.3 3.28 2049 2001
--- Ori 38529 05 46 +01 10 5.9 G4.4 40 7.8 0.78 0.13 14.3 2000
17.7 3.70 2134.8 2002
0.17 0.74 193.9 2010
--- Ori 38858 05 49 -04 06 6.0 G4.5 15 5.7 0.10 1.04 407.2 2011
bet Pic 39060 05 47 -51 04 3.9 A6.5 19 6.2 8 9.55 7300 2008
6 Lyn 45410 06 31 +58 10 5.9 K0.4 57 8.6 2.4 2.2 899 2008
nu2 CMa 47205 06 37 -19 15 4.0 K1.3 20 6.3 2.6 9 763 2011
--- CMa 47536 06 38 -32 20 5.3 K1.312110.2 5 1.61 430 2003
7 --- 2500 2007
tau Gem 54719 07 11 +30 15 4.4 K2.3 92 9.6 18.1 --- 305 2004/
--- Gem 59686 07 32 +17 05 5.5 K2.3 92 9.6 5.25 0.91 303 2003
--- Pup 60532 07 34 -22 18 4.5 F6.4 26 6.8 3.15 0.77 201.8 2008
7.46 1.58 607.1 2008
bet Gem 62509 07 45 +28 02 1.2 K0.3 10 4.9 2.9 1.69 589.6 2006
pi2 UMa 73108 08 40 +64 20 4.6 K1.3 62 8.8 7.1 0.87 269.3 2007
rho1 Cnc 75732 08 53 +28 20 6.0 G8.5 13 5.4 0.82 0.11 14.7 1996
0.17 0.24 44.3 2001
3.84 5.76 5218 2001
0.03 0.02 0.7 2004
0.14 0.78 260.7 2007
--- UMa 81688 09 29 +45 36 5.4 K0.3 89 9.5 2.7 0.81 184.0 2008
gam1 Leo 89484 10 20 +19 50 2.0 K0.3 39 7.7 8.78 1.19 428.5 2009
--- UMa 89744 10 22 +41 14 5.7 F7.5 40 7.8 7.99 0.89 256.6 2000
24 Sex 90043 10 23 -00 54 6.4 G5.5 75 9.2 1.99 1.33 452.8 2010
0.86 2.08 883 2010
47 UMa 95128 10 59 +40 26 5.0 G0.5 14 5.5 2.53 2.1 1078 1996
0.54 3.6 2391 2001
1.64 11.6 9999 2010
83B Leo 99492 11 27 +03 00 6.5 K2.5 18 6.1 0.11 0.12 17.0 2004
0.36 5.4 4970 2010
--- Cen 102365 11 47 -40 30 4.9 G2.5 9 4.6 0.05 0.46 122.1 2011
--- Cam 104985 12 05 +76 24 5.8 G9.3102 9.8 6.3 0.78 198.2 2003
11 Com 107383 12 21 +17 48 4.7 G8.311110.0 19.4 1.29 326.0 2008
chi Vir 110014 12 39 -08 00 4.6 K2.3 90 9.6 11.09 2.14 835.5 2009
61 Vir 115617 13 18 -18 19 4.7 G5.5 9 4.5 0.02 0.05 4.2 2009
0.06 0.22 38.0 2009
0.07 0.48 123.0 2009
70 Vir 117176 13 28 +13 47 5.0 G4.5 22 6.5 606 0.48 116.7 1996
tau Boo 120136 13 47 +17 27 4.5 F7.5 15 5.7 3.9 0.05 3.3 1996
--- Hya 122430 14 02 -27 25 5.5 K3.313510.5 3.71 1.02 345.0 2003
23 Lib 134987 15 13 -25 19 6.5 G5.5 25 6.9 1.59 0.81 258.2 1999
0.82 5.8 5000 2009
11 UMi 136726 15 17 +71 49 5.0 K4.312010.2 10.5 1.54 516.2 2009
nu2 Lup 136352 15 22 -48 19 5.7 G4.5 15 5.7 0.02 0.09 11.8 2011
0.04 0.17 27.6 2011
0.03 0.41 106.7 2011
iot Dra 137759 15 25 +58 58 3.3 K2.3 32 7.3 8.82 1.28 510.7 2002
kap CrB 142091 15 51 +35 39 4.8 K1.4 31 7.3 1.8 2.7 1191 2007
rho CrB 143761 16 01 +33 19 5.4 G0.5 17 6.0 1.04 0.22 39.8 1997
14 Her 145675 16 10 +43 49 6.6 K0.5 18 6.1 4.64 2.77 1773.4 1998
2.09 5.81 --- 2005
--- Sco 147513 16 24 -39 12 5.4 G3.5 13 5.4 1 1.26 540.4 2003
mu Ara 160691 17 44 -51 50 5.2 G3.4 15 5.7 1.68 1.5 643.3 2000
0.03 0.09 9.6 2003
0.52 0.92 310.6 2004
1.81 5.24 4205.8 2006
nu Oph 163917 17 59 -09 46 3.3 G9.3 47 8.2 22.3 1.8 536 2004
24.5 5.88 3169 2010
42 Dra 170693 18 26 +65 34 4.8 K1.3 97 9.7 3.88 1.19 479.1 2009
--- Sgr 169830 18 28 -29 49 5.9 F8.5 36 7.6 2.88 0.81 255.6 2000
4.04 3.6 2102 2003
--- Lyr 176051 18 57 +32 54 5.2 X0.0 16 5.8 1.5 1.76 1016 2010
16B Cyg 186427 19 42 +50 31 6.0 G2.5 21 6.5 1.68 1.68 799.5 1996
xi Aql 188310 19 54 +08 57 4.7 G9.3 63 8.8 2.8 0.68 136.8 2008
--- Cyg 190360 20 04 +29 54 5.7 G6.4 16 5.8 1.50 3.92 2891 2003
0.06 0.13 17.1 2005
--- Cap 192310 20 15 -27 02 5.7 K3.5 9 4.5 0.08 1.18 525.8 2011
--- Del 196885 20 40 +11 15 6.4 F8.5 33 7.4 3.0 2.6 1326 2007
mu2 Oct 196067 20 42 -75 21 6.0 G0.5 44 8.0 7.1 --- 4100 2011
18 Del 199665 20 58 +10 50 5.5 G6.3 73 9.1 10.3 2.6 993.3 2008
--- Peg 210702 22 12 +16 02 5.9 K1.3 56 8.5 2 1.17 341.1 2007
tau1 Gru 216435 22 54 -48 36 6.0 G0.5 33 7.4 1.26 2.56 1311 2002
rho Ind 216437 22 55 -70 04 6.4 G4.4 27 6.9 1.82 2.32 1256 2002
51 Peg 217014 22 57 +20 46 5.5 G2.4 15 5.6 0.47 0.05 4.2 1995
alp PsA 216956 22 58 -29 37 1.2 A3.5 8 4.2 3 115 9999 2008
--- Peg 218396 23 07 +21 08 6.0 A5.5 39 7.8 7 68 9999 2008
10 38 9999 2008
10 24 9999 2008
9 14.5 9999 2010
psi1 Aqr 219449 23 16 -09 05 4.2 K0.3 46 8.1 2.9 0.3 182 2003
14 And 221345 23 31 +39 14 5.2 K0.3 76 9.2 4.8 0.83 185.8 2008
gam Cep 222404 23 39 +77 38 3.2 K2.5 14 5.5 1.85 2.05 903.3 2002
------------------------------------------------------------------
HD142 Phoenicis is ~4 deg S of eps Phe. Other catalog names:
TYC8025-341-1, HR6, SAO214963, PPM304555, CD-49:14337, CPD-49:11858
54 Piscium is the southwestern star of the pair 54 and 55
upsilon Andromedae in 1999 was found to have two more planets, the
first other star with a true 'solar system'. In 2010 the orbits of the
two 1999 planets were found to be about 30 degrees apart, making
upsilon the first instance of a planetary system with so steeply
dispersed orbit planes. upsilon is sometimes mistaken for epsilon, an
altogether other star.
q1 Eridani is a Bayer star! Most astronomers think of Bayer stars
as having only Greek letters. When in a dense constellation the Bayer
scheme ran out of Greek letters, Latin letters were applied, q1 here.
q1 is the western of a pair with q2, about 4 deg N of Achernar.
109 Piscium is sometimes misnamed as 106, which is nu, a wrong
star. 109 sits about 1 deg ESE from 107 and is easiest approached from
downtown Aries.
alpha Arietis (Hamal) is in downtown Aries with bet and gam Ari.
It the third brightest planetary star in this table, after Pollux and
Fomalhaut.
79 Ceti is not labeled in many charts. It is about 1/2 degree west
of 81, between Mira and Caput Ceti.
30B Arietis is quite 1/2 between alpha Arietis (Alhamal) and the
Pleiades. The A star is HD16246. The magnitude of the pair is 6.2.
81 Ceti is the brighter and eastern of the pair 79 & 81 and is
usually labeled, while 79 is not. They are only 1/2 degree apart, the
closest angular spacing between planetary stars. They are linearly
well separated, 81 Ceti being about 221LY farther away than 79.
e Eridani is about 5 deg SE of the Eri. Its second planet is the
least massive in the table, 0.0076 Jupites, 2.41 Earth! The table
value 0.01 is rounded.
epsilon Eridani was, with tau Ceti, the first star to be examined
in the 1960s for extraterrestrial intelligence. The second planet is
uncertain, with a period of 102,270 days, about 280 years. The value
in the table is an overflow. The inner planet rounded its periastron
during 2007, when it could have been opticly imaged. As at issue date
no such iamge was obtained. Fomalhaut, alp PsA, in 2008 became the
first star to have its planet opticly photographed. Star HR8799 has
the first planet ever imaged, in the infrared band, earlier in 2008.
epsilon Tauri is at the end of the northern 'horn' of the Hyades.
Of the planetary stars in this table it is the only one as a member of
a star cluster.
HD30562 Eridani is 4 deg S of mu Eri and 2 deg W of ome Eri. Other
catalog names: HR1536, TYC4748-1630-1, SAO131504, PPM187358, BD-5:1044
HD33564 Camelopardalis is in an empty part of sky with no
convenient starhop to it. It is roughly 2/5 from alp UMi )Polaris) and
alp Cam. Other catalog names: TYC4532-2096-1, PPM5936, BD+79:169,
SAO5496, HR1686
HD38529 Orionis is ~4/10 from zet (anilam) to alp (Betelgeuse) Ori
and is the obvious star betwwn 51 and 56 Ori. Other catalog names:
TYC116-1316-1, PPM149432, BD+1:1126, SAO113119, HR1988
HD38858 Orionis is 1/3 from Saip to Betelgeuse and is the east one
of the pair at this spot. Other catalog names: TYC4776-1306-1,
PPM188472, BD-4:1244, HR1007, SAO132554
beta Pictoris was long known to have a dust disc that could hide a
planet. The planet was imaged with the VLT in near infrared. By 2010
continued imaging showed motion of the planet thru about 1/2 of its
orbit. The star just misses the horizon of New York.
6 Lyncis is in an empty part of sky with few other attractions for
starviewing. It now is an interesting waypoint between Auriga and Ursa
Major.
HD47536 Canis Majoris is ~4/10 from kap to zet CMa and 1/2 between
lam and kap CMa. Other catalog nanmes: SAO197019, CD-32:3216,
TYC7091-1257-1, PPM282919, CPD-32:01260, HR2447, SAO197019
tau Geminorum's planet was announced in 2004 but confirmed in 2010
HD59686 Geminorum is ~1/2 between bet CMi (Gomeisa) ad bet Gem
(Pollux), ~5 deg E of kap Gem, and ~2 deg N of 68 Gem. other catalog
names: TYC1364-1582-1, PPM124127, HR2877, SAO96985 , BD+17:1596
HD60532 Puppis is ~4/10 from rho Pup to alp CMa. Other catalog
names: SAO174009, HR2906, TYC5991-217-1, PPM252677, BD-21:2007
beta Geminorum (Pollux) marks the head of the southern Twin. The
planet runs in a nearly circular orbit, e = 0.02, It was suspected
since 1993 but confirmed in July 2006.
pi2 Ursae Majoris is 4 Ursae Majoris. It is the southeastern of a
arc of three stars: 2, pi1, pi2.
rho1 Cancri is 55 Cancri. The Bayer letters are a bit inconsistent
among authors in this part of Cancer. rho1 (55) is the northeastern
one of the pair 53 and 55. The planet found in 2004 has semimajor axis
of 0.038 AU, or 5.68 million kilometers. The table value is rounded.
gaama1 Leonis is Algieba, one of the more showy double stars. The
primary is the planetary star,
HD81688 Ursae Majoris is 4/10 from kap to lam UMa. Other catalog
names: SAO42876, TYC3425-1596-1, PPM51268, BD+46:1509, HR3743,
HD89744 Ursae Majoris is 1/2 deg S of mu UMa (Tania Australis).
Other catalog names: SAO43309, HR4067, TYC3004-578-1, PPM51848,
BD+41:2076
24 Sextantis is not labeled in many charts. It's about 2 deg W of
bet Sex. A star of similar brightness is halfway between the two. The
two planets are in a 2:1 period resonance, the 1st example in this
table of orbit resonance beyond our solar system.
47 Ursae Majoris passes almost thru the zenith of New York City.
The second planet is still uncertain. The third planet's period is
14,002 day; the '9999' entry is an overflow.
83B Leonis is the magn 7.4 comes of binary 83 Leonis, Sturve 1540.
The primary, HD99491, is magn 6.5, about the total brightness of the
pair, and is often not labeled on charts. It sits 1/2 deg NW of tau
Leo, the 1st in an arc of several stars extnding to the NW. Other
names for the B star: BD+03:2503, SAO118865, TYC267-3200-1, PPM157866
HD102365 Centauri is ~1-1/2 from eps Cen thru gam Cen, and or once
from bet Cru thru Del Cen. Other catalog names: TYC7745-1381-1,CD-39:
07301, CPD-39:05265, SAO223020, HR4523
HD104985 Camelopardalis is ~2/5 from kap Dra to alp UMi and ~3
times beyond gam (Pherkad) to bet (Kochab) UMi. It is the southern of
a pair of stars. Other catalog names: TYC4550-2113-1, PPM8082,
BD+77:461 HR4609, SAO7500
61 Virginis is 1/2 between alp Vir (Spica) and gam Hya. Its
planets are superearths. Planet b is 5.1 Earth mass: c, 18.2; d, 22.9.
HD122430 Hydrae is ~1 deg SW of pi Hya. Other catalog names:
SAO182182, TYC-6737-83-1, PPM262401, CD-26:10060, CPD-26:5147, HR5265
11 Ursae Minoris is ~1/2 deg W of gam UMi (Pherkad).
14 Herculis is not labeled in many charts. It is the star about
one deg SE from phi Her. Its second planet, reported in 2005, is still
uncertain.
HD147513 Scorpii is ~1/2 from eta Lup to mu2 Sco. Other catalog
names: HR6094, SAO207622, TYC7853-621-1, PPM295007,CD-38:10983, CPD-
38:06407
nu Ophiuchi's first planet was announced in 2005 but confirmed in
2010. The second planet was announced in 2010.
HD169830 Sagittarii is ~1/2 from lam to eps Sgr and 2 deg E of del
Sgr. Other catalog names: TYC6869-1277-1, CD-29:14965, CPD-29:5565,
PPM268436, HR6907, SAO186838
HD176501 Lyrae is 1 deg NW of gam Lyr. Star is a binary but the
which component has the planet is uncertain. The spectral class is a
placeholder until further data is known. Other catalog names are
SAO67612, BD+32:3267, TYC2643-3345-1, PPM82082, HR7162
16B Cygni is occasionally mixed up with 61 Cygni, the first star
whose remoteness was certainly measured. 16 is near the, the western
wing of the swan. 61 is near sig & tau in the eastern wing. The planet
is at the B compnonet of this binary star.
xi Aquilae, also spelled ksi Aquilae, is 1/5 from alp (Altair) to
be (Alshain).
HD190360 Cygni is about 1/2 from eps to bet (Albireo) Cyg. Other
catalog names: TYC2153-2883-1, PPM110318, BD+29:3872, SAO88133, HR7670
HD192310 Capricorni is 2/3 from ome Cap to ome Sgr, the only
obvious star at this spot. Other catalog names: HR7722, CD-27:14659,
PPM270900, SAO189065, TYC6914-1943-1. A previously planet, b, was
retracted, leaving onlythe present one, c.
HD196885 Delphini is about 1/2 deg ESE of iot Del and is a binary
star. The A component has the planet. Other names: HR7907, SAO106360,
TYC1092-1778-1, PPM138799, BD+10:4351
18 Delphini is 1/2 between alp Equ and alp Del. gam and del Equ,
prolonged westward, aim almost directly at it.
HD210702 Pegasi is ~1/2 between eps and lam Peg and ~1/2 between
xi and 9 Oeg. Other catalog names: TYC1681-1751-1, SAO107729, HR8461,
PPM141171, BD+15:4592
51 Pegasi is the first bright planetary star, with a Bayer or
Flamsteed designation. Planetary stars before 51 Pegasi were all
beyond easy reach of binoculars.
alpha Piscis Austrini (Fomelhaut) has a dust disc known since
1998. The planet was found by HST imaging and is THE FIRST PLANET TO
BE OPTICLY DETECTED. The period is 872 year. '9999' in the table is an
overflow. The planet is the least luminous object ever found outside
the solar system. Star HD218396 Pegasi had its planet imaged in
infrared wavelength a few months earlier. Fomalhaut is the second
brightest planetary star, after Pollux, so far known.
HD218396 Pegasi is 4/10 from alp Peg to bet Peg and 2 deg E of 51
Peg. Its three 2008 planets were THE FIRST PLANETS EVER PHOTOGRAPHED,
in near infrared by Keck Obsy in Sep 2008. This feat was followed
later in 2008 by imaging the alpha Piscis Austrini planet with HST in
the optical band. The periods are overflows. Planet b is 170,000 days;
c, 69,000; d, 36,500; e, 18,000. Other catalog names: BD+20:5278,
HR8799, PPM115157, SAO91022, TYC1718-2350-1.
psi1 Aquarii is 91 Aquarii and is the western of three stars with
psi2 and psi3.
14 Andromedae is near the end of the table, which is sorted by
right ascension. It is in the western part of Andromeda, west of the
0h circle, in the 23h zone.
gamma Cephei's planet was announced in 2002. Some sources say
2003, a typo,
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I gather a few statistics about the stars and planets.These data
cover ONLY the entries here, in this table, not all of the known
planetary stars.
---------------------------------------------------------------
PLANETARY STARS
---------------
item | star | year | value
---------------------+--------------+------+------
total stars | 75 stars | 2011 | with 108 planets
first member in list | 51 Peg | 1995 | 1st Flamsteed/bayer
first 2-planet star | ups And | 1999 | with 3rd planet
first 3-planet star | ups And | 1999 | with 2nd planet
first 4-planet star | rho1 Cnc | 2004 |
first 5-planet star | rho1 Cnc | 2007 |
brightest star | bet Gem | 2006 | magn +1.2
dimmest star | 30 Ari | 2009 | magn +7.1
farthest star | HD122430 Hya | 2003 | 135 parsec
nearest star | eps Eri | 2000 | 3.2 parsec
most northern star | gam Cep | 2007 | +77d 38m
most southern star | pi Men | 2001 | -80d 28m
------------------------------------------------------
PLANETS
-------
item | planet | year | value
---------------------+---------------+------+------
total planets | 108 planets | 2011 | at 75 stars
nultipicity | 1.420 | 2011 | (planets)/(stars)
first imaged planet | alp PsA b | 2008 | optical
| HD218693 Peg | 2008 | b-c-d, near IR
most massive planet | HD38529 Ori c | 2002 | 17.7 Jupiter
least massive planet | e Eri c | 2011 | 2.4 Earth
farthest from star | alp PsA b | 2009 | 115 AU
closest to star | 55 Cnc d | 2004 | 0.01 AU
longest orbit period | alp PsA b | 2009 | 872 years
shortest period | 55 Cnc d | 2004 | 2.8 days
---------------------------------------------------------
It is still impossible for home telescopes to discern the planets.
Yet it is interesting to point out their stars to your visitors. While
these stars look entirely ordinary, they hold the prospect that in
their planets there could be people looking back at us!