Spitzer Observations Of HD 149026b, the Hottest Planet, and the Spitzer Exoplanet ToO Program

Details Spitzer Observations Of HD 149026b, the Hottest Planet, and the Spitzer Exoplanet ToO Program Spitzer Observations Of HD 149026b, the Hottest Planet, and the Spitzer Exoplanet ToO Program

Oct 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007dps....39.2904h&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #39, #29.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.467

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Scientific paper

We observed a secondary eclipse of the transiting exoplanet HD 149026b using the Spitzer Infrared Array Camera at 8 µm. Previous reports of secondary eclipse brightness temperatures are roughly consistent with predictions based on thermal equilibrium with received radiation, assuming uniform, blackbody re-emission and a Bond albedo of 0.3. However, our study derives a brightness temperature of 2,300 ± 200 K, the hottest ever measured for a planet. This is well above the prediction of 1,741 K for even zero albedo. As models with non-zero albedo are cooler, this essentially eliminates uniform blackbody models, and may also require an albedo lower than any measured for a planet, very strong 8-µm emission, strong temporal variability, or a heat source other than stellar radiation. On the other hand, an instantaneous re-emission blackbody model, in which each patch of surface area instantly re-emits all received light, matches the data. This planet is known to be enriched in heavy elements, which may give rise to novel atmospheric properties yet to be investigated. The eclipse time is consistent with a circular orbit. We will also introduce our Spitzer Target of Opportunity program for observing new transiting planets, in which we invite planet hunters to participate.
This work is based on observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with NASA. This material is based upon work supported by the US National Science Foundation and by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration through an award issued by JPL/Caltech.

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