1. An Extremely Low-density Exoplanet Spins Slow
- Author
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Quanyi Liu, Wei Zhu, Kento Masuda, Jessica E. Libby-Roberts, Aaron Bello-Arufe, and Caleb I. Cañas
- Subjects
Transits ,Transit photometry ,Oblateness ,James Webb Space Telescope ,Astrophysics ,QB460-466 - Abstract
We present constraints on the shape of Kepler-51d, which is a superpuff with a mass ∼6 M _⊕ and a radius ∼9 R _⊕ , based on detailed modeling of the transit light curve from James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRSpec. The projected shape of this extremely low-density planet is consistent with being spherical, and a projected oblateness f _⊥ > 0.2 can be excluded regardless of the spin obliquity angles. If this is taken as the limit on the true shape of the planet, Kepler-51d is rotating at ≲50% of its breakup spin rate, or its rotation period is ≳33 hr. In the more plausible situation that the planetary spin is aligned with its orbital direction to within 30°, then its oblateness is
- Published
- 2024
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