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A closely packed system of low-mass, low-density planets transiting Kepler-11

Author

Listed:
  • Jack J. Lissauer

    (NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Daniel C. Fabrycky

    (UCO/Lick Observatory, University of California)

  • Eric B. Ford

    (University of Florida, 211 Bryant Space Science Center)

  • William J. Borucki

    (NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Francois Fressin

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • Geoffrey W. Marcy

    (UC Berkeley)

  • Jerome A. Orosz

    (San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive)

  • Jason F. Rowe

    (SETI Institute/NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Guillermo Torres

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • William F. Welsh

    (San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive)

  • Natalie M. Batalha

    (San Jose State University, One Washington Square, San Jose, California 95192, USA)

  • Stephen T. Bryson

    (NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Lars A. Buchhave

    (Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen University, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Douglas A. Caldwell

    (SETI Institute/NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Joshua A. Carter

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • David Charbonneau

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • Jessie L. Christiansen

    (SETI Institute/NASA Ames Research Center)

  • William D. Cochran

    (McDonald Observatory, The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Jean-Michel Desert

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • Edward W. Dunham

    (Lowell Observatory, 1400 W. Mars Hill Road)

  • Michael N. Fanelli

    (Bay Area Environmental Research Inst./NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Jonathan J. Fortney

    (UCO/Lick Observatory, University of California)

  • Thomas N. Gautier III

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive)

  • John C. Geary

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • Ronald L. Gilliland

    (Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive)

  • Michael R. Haas

    (NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Jennifer R. Hall

    (Orbital Sciences Corporation/NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Matthew J. Holman

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • David G. Koch

    (NASA Ames Research Center)

  • David W. Latham

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • Eric Lopez

    (UCO/Lick Observatory, University of California)

  • Sean McCauliff

    (Orbital Sciences Corporation/NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Neil Miller

    (UCO/Lick Observatory, University of California)

  • Robert C. Morehead

    (University of Florida, 211 Bryant Space Science Center)

  • Elisa V. Quintana

    (SETI Institute/NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Darin Ragozzine

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • Dimitar Sasselov

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street)

  • Donald R. Short

    (San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive)

  • Jason H. Steffen

    (Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics, MS 127, PO Box 500, Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA)

Abstract

When an extrasolar planet passes in front of (transits) its star, its radius can be measured from the decrease in starlight and its orbital period from the time between transits. Multiple planets transiting the same star reveal much more: period ratios determine stability and dynamics, mutual gravitational interactions reflect planet masses and orbital shapes, and the fraction of transiting planets observed as multiples has implications for the planarity of planetary systems. But few stars have more than one known transiting planet, and none has more than three. Here we report Kepler spacecraft observations of a single Sun-like star, which we call Kepler-11, that reveal six transiting planets, five with orbital periods between 10 and 47 days and a sixth planet with a longer period. The five inner planets are among the smallest for which mass and size have both been measured, and these measurements imply substantial envelopes of light gases. The degree of coplanarity and proximity of the planetary orbits imply energy dissipation near the end of planet formation.

Suggested Citation

  • Jack J. Lissauer & Daniel C. Fabrycky & Eric B. Ford & William J. Borucki & Francois Fressin & Geoffrey W. Marcy & Jerome A. Orosz & Jason F. Rowe & Guillermo Torres & William F. Welsh & Natalie M. Ba, 2011. "A closely packed system of low-mass, low-density planets transiting Kepler-11," Nature, Nature, vol. 470(7332), pages 53-58, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:470:y:2011:i:7332:d:10.1038_nature09760
    DOI: 10.1038/nature09760
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