PSR B1257+12 c

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PSR B1257+12 c
Extrasolar planet List of extrasolar planets
Parent star
Star PSR B1257+12
Constellation Virgo
Right ascension (α) 13h 00m 01s
Declination (δ) +12° 40′ 57″
Distance 980 ly (300 pc)
Spectral type Pulsar
Orbital elements
Semimajor axis (a) 0.36 AU
Eccentricity (e) 0.0186 ± 0.0002
Orbital period (P) 66.5419 ± 0.0001 d
Angular distance (θ) 1.2 mas
Longitude of
periastron
(ω) 250.4 ± 0.6°
Time of periastron (T0) 2,449,768.1 ± 0.1 JD
Semi-amplitude (K) ? m/s
Physical characteristics
Mass (m) 0.013 MJ (4.3 ± 0.2 M)
Discovery information
Discovery date 22 January 1992
Discoverer(s) Aleksander Wolszczan
Detection method Pulsar Timing
Discovery site Flag of Poland Poland
Discovery status Published

PSR B1257+12 c, previously known as PSR B1257+12 B, is the second planet orbiting the pulsar at a distance of 0.36 AU with an orbital period of approximately 66 days. The planet is over four times as massive as the Earth. Because planet B and planet C orbit rather close to each other, they cause measurable perturbations in each other's orbits. As expected, perturbations were detected confirming that the planets are real. Accurate masses of the two planets, as well as their inclinations, were measured by calculating how much the planets interfere each other.

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