Kepler-7b: A transiting planet with unusually low density

David W. Latham, William J. Borucki, David G. Koch, Timothy M. Brown, Lars A. Buchhave, Gibor Basri, Natalie M. Batalha, Douglas A. Caldwell, William D. Cochran, Edward W. Dunham, Gabor Furész, Thomas N. Gautier, John C. Geary, Ronald L. Gilliland, Steve B. Howell, Jon M. Jenkins, Jack J. Lissauer, Geoffrey W. Marcy, David G. Monet, Jason F. RoweDimitar D. Sasselov

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101 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report on the discovery and confirmation of Kepler-7b, a transiting planet with unusually low density. The mass is less than half that of Jupiter, M P = 0.43 M J, but the radius is 50% larger, R P = 1.48 R J. The resulting density, ρP = 0.17 g cm-3, is the second lowest reported so far for an extrasolar planet. The orbital period is fairly long, P = 4.886days, and the host star is not much hotter than the Sun, T eff = 6000K. However, it is more massive and considerably larger than the Sun, M = 1.35 M and R * = 1.84 R , and must be near the end of its life on the main sequence.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)L140-L144
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume713
Issue number2 PART 2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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