PSR B1257+12 c
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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 | 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.