True mass

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The term true mass is synonymous with the term mass, but is used in astronomy to differentiate the measured mass of a planet from the lower limit of mass usually obtained from radial velocity techniques.[1] Methods used to determine the true mass of a planet include measuring the distance and period of one of its satellites,[2] advanced astrometry techniques that use the motions of other planets in the same star system,[1] combining radial velocity techniques with transit observations (which indicate very low orbital inclinations),[3] and combining radial velocity techniques with stellar parallax measurements (which also determine orbital inclinations).[4]

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[edit] References

  1. ^ a b McDonald Observatory astronomers discover Neptune-sized planet with Hobby-Eberly Telescope. University of Texas at Austin (31 August 2004). Retrieved on 2007-09-04.
  2. ^ M.E. Brown and E.L. Schaller (2007). "The Mass of Dwarf Planet Eris". Science 316 (5831): 1585. doi:10.1126/science.1139415. 
  3. ^ How do we know the density of some extrasolar planets?. Curious About Astronomy?. Retrieved on 2007-09-08.
  4. ^ Han, I. et al. (2001). "Preliminary Astrometric Masses for Proposed Extrasolar Planetary Companions" ([dead link] – Scholar search). The Astrophysical Journal 548: L57 – L60. doi:10.1086/318927. 
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