The Unusual Transiting Extra-Solar Planet Orbiting XO-3

Mathematics – Logic

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

We report the discovery of a massive planet (≈12 MJUP) in an eccentric orbit (e ≈ 0.2) around the F6 star XO-3. This planet transits the 10th magnitude star every 3.19 days. This system is unusual for a number of reasons. XO-3b is one of the most massive planets discovered around any star for which the orbital period is less than 10 days. The mass is near the deuterium burning limit of 13 MJUP which is a proposed boundary between planets and brown dwarfs. Burrows et al. (2001) propose that formation in a disk or formation in the interstellar medium in a manner similar to stars is a more logical way to differentiate planets and brown dwarfs. Our current observations are not adequate to address this distinction. XO-3b is also unusual in that its eccentricity is large given its relatively short orbital period. Finally, the star XO-3 is somewhat metal poor, with [Fe/H] ≈ -0.25. We will present our observations leading to this discovery and discuss the implications of this system for models of planet formation.

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