The Astrophysical Journal Letters (Jan 2025)
JWST Coronagraphic Images of 14 Her c: A Cold Giant Planet in a Dynamically Hot Multiplanet System
- Daniella C. Bardalez Gagliuffi,
- William O. Balmer,
- Laurent Pueyo,
- Timothy D. Brandt,
- Mark R. Giovinazzi,
- Sarah Millholland,
- Brennen Black,
- Tiger Lu,
- Malena Rice,
- James Mang,
- Caroline Morley,
- Brianna Lacy,
- Julien H. Girard,
- Elisabeth C. Matthews,
- Aarynn L. Carter,
- Brendan P. Bowler,
- Jacqueline K. Faherty,
- Clemence Fontanive,
- Emily Rickman
Affiliations
- Daniella C. Bardalez Gagliuffi
- ORCiD
- Amherst College, Department of Physics & Astronomy, 25 East Drive, Amherst, MA 01002, USA ; [email protected]; American Museum of Natural History, Department of Astrophysics , 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, USA
- William O. Balmer
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA ; [email protected]; Space Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Laurent Pueyo
- ORCiD
- Space Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Timothy D. Brandt
- ORCiD
- Space Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Mark R. Giovinazzi
- ORCiD
- Amherst College, Department of Physics & Astronomy, 25 East Drive, Amherst, MA 01002, USA ; [email protected]
- Sarah Millholland
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Brennen Black
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Tiger Lu
- ORCiD
- Department of Astronomy, Yale University , New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Malena Rice
- ORCiD
- Department of Astronomy, Yale University , New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- James Mang
- ORCiD
- Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Caroline Morley
- ORCiD
- Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Brianna Lacy
- ORCiD
- Department of Astronomy, University of California , Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Bay Area Environmental Research Institute + NASA Ames Research Center , Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
- Julien H. Girard
- ORCiD
- Space Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Elisabeth C. Matthews
- ORCiD
- Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie , D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- Aarynn L. Carter
- ORCiD
- Space Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Brendan P. Bowler
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, University of California , Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Jacqueline K. Faherty
- ORCiD
- American Museum of Natural History, Department of Astrophysics , 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, USA
- Clemence Fontanive
- ORCiD
- Institute for Research on Exoplanets, University of Montréal , Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Emily Rickman
- ORCiD
- European Space Agency (ESA) , ESA Office, Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ade30f
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 988,
no. 1
p. L18
Abstract
Most observed multiplanet systems are coplanar, in a dynamically “cold” configuration of concentric orbits like our own solar system. With the James Webb Space Telescope, we have detected 14 Her c, the first mature and cold exoplanet directly imaged in a dynamically “hot” multiplanet system. With large eccentricities and a nonzero mutual inclination, the present-day architecture of this system points to a turbulent past and ongoing angular momentum exchange between the planetary orbits of 14 Her b and c. The temperature of 14 Her c rivals both the coldest imaged exoplanet and the coldest known brown dwarf. Moreover, its photometry at 4.4 μ m is consistent with the presence of carbon disequilibrium chemistry and water-ice clouds in its atmosphere. 14 Her c presents a unique laboratory to study giant planet formation, the dynamical evolution of multiplanet system architectures, and atmospheric composition and dynamics in extremely cold worlds.
Keywords
- James Webb Space Telescope
- Exoplanets
- Extrasolar gaseous giant planets
- Direct imaging
- Exoplanet dynamics
- Exoplanet atmospheres
