[en] We report the discovery of a low-density exoplanet transiting an 11th magnitude star in the Southern hemisphere. WASP-15b, which orbits its host star with a period P = 3.7520656 ± 0.0000028 d, has a mass M [SUB]p[/SUB] = 0.542 ± 0.050 M [SUB]J[/SUB] and radius R [SUB]p[/SUB] = 1.428 ± 0.077 R [SUB]J[/SUB], and is therefore one of the least dense transiting exoplanets so far discovered (rho[SUB]p[/SUB] = 0.247 ± 0.035 g cm[SUP]--3[/SUP]). An analysis of the spectrum of the host star shows it to be of spectral type around F5, with an effective temperature T [SUB]eff[/SUB] = 6300 ± 100 K and [Fe/H] = --0.17 ± 0.11.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
West, R. G.; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
Anderson, D. R.; Astrophysics Group, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
Gillon, Michaël ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astrophysique et traitement de l'image
Hebb, L.; School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, Fife KY16 9SS, UK
Hellier, C.; Astrophysics Group, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
Maxted, P. F. L.; Astrophysics Group, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
Queloz, D.; Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Chemin des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
Smalley, B.; Astrophysics Group, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
Triaud, A H M J; Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Chemin des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
Wilson, D. M.; Astrophysics Group, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
Bentley, S. J.; Astrophysics Group, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
Collier Cameron, A.; School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, Fife KY16 9SS, UK
Enoch, B.; School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, Fife KY16 9SS, UK
Horne, K.; School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, Fife KY16 9SS, UK
Irwin, J.; Department of Astronomy, Harvard University, 60 Garden Street, MS 10, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Lister, T. A.; Las Cumbres Observatory, 6740 Cortona Dr. Suite 102, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
Mayor, M.; Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Chemin des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
Parley, N.; School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, Fife KY16 9SS, UK
Pepe, F.; Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Chemin des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
Pollacco, D.; Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics & Physics, Queen's University, University Road, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
Segransan, D.; Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Chemin des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
Spano, M.; Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Chemin des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
Udry, S.; Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Chemin des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
Wheatley, P. J.; Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
