HD 209458
Encyclopedia
HD 209458 is an 8th magnitude
star
in the constellation
Pegasus
. It is very similar to our Sun
, and it is classified as a yellow dwarf
(spectral class G0 V). Because it is located at a distance of about 150 light years, it is not visible to the unaided eye. With good binoculars
or small telescope
it should be easily detectable.
In 1999 two teams working independently (one team consisted of astronomers at the Geneva Observatory, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
, and the Wise Observatory
; the second group was the California and Carnegie Planet Search team) discovered an extrasolar planet
orbiting the star by using the radial velocity
planet
search method. Soon after the discovery, separate teams led by David Charbonneau
and Gregory W. Henry
were able to detect a transit of the planet across the surface of the star making it the first known transiting extrasolar planet. The planet received the designation HD 209458 b
.
Because the planet transits the star, the star is dimmed by about 2% every 3.5 days making it an extrinsic variable. The variable star
designation for HD 209458 is V376 Pegasi. It is the prototype
of the variable class "EP" in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars
, defined as stars showing eclipses by their planets.
is an extrasolar planet that orbits the Sun-like star HD 209458 in the constellation Pegasus. Spectroscopic
studies first revealed the presence of a planet around HD 209458 on November 5, 1999. The planet is now under even more public scrutiny with the announcement that its atmosphere contains water vapor. Astronomers had made careful photometric
measurements of several stars known to be orbited by planets, in the hope that they might observe a dip in brightness caused by the transit
of the planet across the star's face. This would require the planet's orbit to be inclined such that it would pass between the Earth and the star, and previously no transits had been detected.
Travis Barman at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona analyzed the emission spectrum of this planet, and believes that its atmosphere contains water, although previous research suggests that the atmosphere is composed mostly of silicate clouds.
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...
star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
Pegasus
Pegasus (constellation)
Pegasus is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:...
. It is very similar to our Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, and it is classified as a yellow dwarf
Yellow dwarf
A G-type main-sequence star , often called a yellow dwarf, is a main-sequence star of spectral type G and luminosity class V. Such a star has about 0.8 to 1.2 solar masses and surface temperature of between 5,300 and 6,000 K., Tables VII, VIII...
(spectral class G0 V). Because it is located at a distance of about 150 light years, it is not visible to the unaided eye. With good binoculars
Binoculars
Binoculars, field glasses or binocular telescopes are a pair of identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects...
or small telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
it should be easily detectable.
In 1999 two teams working independently (one team consisted of astronomers at the Geneva Observatory, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
The Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics is one of the largest and most diverse astrophysical institutions in the world, where scientists carry out a broad program of research in astronomy, astrophysics, earth and space sciences, and science education...
, and the Wise Observatory
Wise Observatory
The Florence and George Wise Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Tel-Aviv University. It is located 5 km west of the city of Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev desert near the edge of the Ramon Crater, and it is the only professional astronomical observatory in...
; the second group was the California and Carnegie Planet Search team) discovered an extrasolar planet
Extrasolar planet
An extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, is a planet outside the Solar System. A total of such planets have been identified as of . It is now known that a substantial fraction of stars have planets, including perhaps half of all Sun-like stars...
orbiting the star by using the radial velocity
Radial velocity
Radial velocity is the velocity of an object in the direction of the line of sight . In astronomy, radial velocity most commonly refers to the spectroscopic radial velocity...
planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
search method. Soon after the discovery, separate teams led by David Charbonneau
David Charbonneau
David Charbonneau is a Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University. His research focuses on the development of novel techniques for the detection and characterization of planets orbiting nearby, Sun-like stars...
and Gregory W. Henry
Gregory W. Henry
Gregory W. Henry is an astronomer and research scientist for Tennessee State University. In 1999, Henry led one of two teams that discovered the first transiting extrasolar planet, HD 209458 b. The other team was led by David Charbonneau....
were able to detect a transit of the planet across the surface of the star making it the first known transiting extrasolar planet. The planet received the designation HD 209458 b
HD 209458 b
HD 209458 b is an extrasolar planet that orbits the Solar analog star HD 209458 in the constellation Pegasus, some 150 light-years from Earth's solar system, with evidence of water vapor....
.
Because the planet transits the star, the star is dimmed by about 2% every 3.5 days making it an extrinsic variable. The variable star
Variable star
A star is classified as variable if its apparent magnitude as seen from Earth changes over time, whether the changes are due to variations in the star's actual luminosity, or to variations in the amount of the star's light that is blocked from reaching Earth...
designation for HD 209458 is V376 Pegasi. It is the prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
of the variable class "EP" in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars
General Catalogue of Variable Stars
The General Catalogue of Variable Stars is a list of variable stars. Its first edition, containing 10,820 stars, was published in 1948 by the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and edited by B. V. Kukarkin and P. P. Parenago. Second and third editions were published in 1958 and 1968; the fourth...
, defined as stars showing eclipses by their planets.
Planetary system
HD 209458 bHD 209458 b
HD 209458 b is an extrasolar planet that orbits the Solar analog star HD 209458 in the constellation Pegasus, some 150 light-years from Earth's solar system, with evidence of water vapor....
is an extrasolar planet that orbits the Sun-like star HD 209458 in the constellation Pegasus. Spectroscopic
Astronomical spectroscopy
Astronomical spectroscopy is the technique of spectroscopy used in astronomy. The object of study is the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, which radiates from stars and other celestial objects...
studies first revealed the presence of a planet around HD 209458 on November 5, 1999. The planet is now under even more public scrutiny with the announcement that its atmosphere contains water vapor. Astronomers had made careful photometric
Photometry (astronomy)
Photometry is a technique of astronomy concerned with measuring the flux, or intensity of an astronomical object's electromagnetic radiation...
measurements of several stars known to be orbited by planets, in the hope that they might observe a dip in brightness caused by the transit
Astronomical transit
The term transit or astronomical transit has three meanings in astronomy:* A transit is the astronomical event that occurs when one celestial body appears to move across the face of another celestial body, hiding a small part of it, as seen by an observer at some particular vantage point...
of the planet across the star's face. This would require the planet's orbit to be inclined such that it would pass between the Earth and the star, and previously no transits had been detected.
Travis Barman at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona analyzed the emission spectrum of this planet, and believes that its atmosphere contains water, although previous research suggests that the atmosphere is composed mostly of silicate clouds.