OGLE-TR-111b
Encyclopedia
OGLE-TR-111b is an extrasolar planet
approximately 5,000 light-year
s away in the constellation
of Carina
(the Keel
). The planet is currently the only confirmed planet orbiting the star
OGLE-TR-111
(though a possible second planet is plausible).
In 2002 the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment
(OGLE) survey detected that the light from the star periodically dimmed very slightly every 4 day
s, indicating a planet
-sized body transit
ing the star. But since the mass of the object had not been measured, it was not clear that it was a true planet, low-mass red dwarf
or something else.
In 2004 radial velocity
measurements showed unambiguously that the transiting body is indeed a planet.
The planet is probably very similar to the other hot Jupiter
s orbiting nearby stars. Its mass is about half that of Jupiter
and it orbits the star at a distance less than 1/20th that of Earth
from the Sun
.
OGLE-TR-111b has similar mass and orbital distance as the first transiting planet, HD 209458 b
(Osiris). But unlike it, the planet has a radius comparable to Jupiter which is typical to other transiting planets detected by OGLE. However, those other planets tend to be more massive and orbit even closer than typical hot Jupiters. Therefore this planet is an important "missing link" between the different types of transiting planets.
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...
approximately 5,000 light-year
Light-year
A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s away 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....
of Carina
Carina (constellation)
Carina is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three.-Stars:...
(the Keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
). The planet is currently the only confirmed planet orbiting the 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...
OGLE-TR-111
OGLE-TR-111
OGLE-TR-111 is a yellow dwarf star approximately 5,000 light-years away in the constellation of Carina . Having an apparent magnitude of about 17 this distant and dim star has not yet been cataloged.- Planetary system :...
(though a possible second planet is plausible).
In 2002 the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment
Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment
The Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment or OGLE is a Polish astronomical project based at the University of Warsaw that is chiefly concerned with discovering dark matter using the microlensing technique. Since the project began in 1992, it has discovered several extrasolar planets as a side...
(OGLE) survey detected that the light from the star periodically dimmed very slightly every 4 day
Day
A day is a unit of time, commonly defined as an interval equal to 24 hours. It also can mean that portion of the full day during which a location is illuminated by the light of the sun...
s, indicating a 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,...
-sized body 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...
ing the star. But since the mass of the object had not been measured, it was not clear that it was a true planet, low-mass red dwarf
Red dwarf
According to the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, a red dwarf star is a small and relatively cool star, of the main sequence, either late K or M spectral type....
or something else.
In 2004 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...
measurements showed unambiguously that the transiting body is indeed a planet.
The planet is probably very similar to the other hot Jupiter
Hot Jupiter
Hot Jupiters are a class of extrasolar planet whose mass is close to or exceeds that of Jupiter...
s orbiting nearby stars. Its mass is about half that of Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
and it orbits the star at a distance less than 1/20th that of Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
from the 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...
.
OGLE-TR-111b has similar mass and orbital distance as the first transiting planet, 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....
(Osiris). But unlike it, the planet has a radius comparable to Jupiter which is typical to other transiting planets detected by OGLE. However, those other planets tend to be more massive and orbit even closer than typical hot Jupiters. Therefore this planet is an important "missing link" between the different types of transiting planets.
See also
- Optical Gravitational Lensing ExperimentOptical Gravitational Lensing ExperimentThe Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment or OGLE is a Polish astronomical project based at the University of Warsaw that is chiefly concerned with discovering dark matter using the microlensing technique. Since the project began in 1992, it has discovered several extrasolar planets as a side...
- List of extrasolar planets
- HD 209458 bHD 209458 bHD 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....
- OGLE-2005-BLG-390LbOGLE-2005-BLG-390LbOGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb is a 'super-Earth' extrasolar planet orbiting the star OGLE-2005-BLG-390L, which is situated 21,500 ± 3,300 light years away from Earth, near the center of the Milky Way galaxy...
- WASP-11b/HAT-P-10b