Constellation of Draco
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Doellinger et al. |
| Discovery site | TLS |
| Discovery date | March 20, 2009 |
| radial velocity | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Apastron | 1.64 AU (245,000,000 km) |
| Periastron | 0.74 AU (111,000,000 km) |
| 1.19 ± 0.01 AU (178,000,000 ± 1,500,000 km) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.38 ± 0.06 |
| 479.1 ± 6.2 d 1.312 ± 0.017 y | |
| 2452757.4 ± 3.7 | |
| 218.7 ± 10.6 | |
| Star | 42 Draconis |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mass | ≥3.88±0.85 MJ |
42 Draconis b (abbreviated 42 Dra b), formally named Orbitar /ˈɔːrbɪtɑːr/, is a candidate extrasolar planet located approximately 315 light years from Earth in the constellation of Draco. It orbits the 5th magnitude K-type giant star 42 Draconis with a period of 479 days and 38% orbital eccentricity.[1] The planet was discovered using the radial velocity method on March 20, 2009.[1]
Following its discovery the planet was designated 42 Draconis b. In July 2014 the International Astronomical Union launched NameExoWorlds, a process for giving proper names to certain exoplanets and their host stars.[2] The process involved public nomination and voting for the new names.[3] In December 2015, the IAU announced the winning name was Orbitar for this planet.[4] The winning name was submitted by the Brevard Astronomical Society of Brevard County, Florida, United States.[5] Orbitar is a contrived word paying homage to the space launch and orbital operations of NASA.[6]
A 2021 study found that more recent radial velocity measurements of 42 Draconis were inconsistent with the proposed planetary orbit, casting serious doubt on 42 Draconis b's existence, but with a two-planet solution still being a possibility. The study suggests that the radial velocity signal is likely caused by a yet unknown stellar phenomenon, which might be common in giant stars.[7]
