| 41 Lyncis b / Arkas | |
| Discoverer: | Sato et al. |
| Discovery Site: | Okayama Planet Search Program, Japan |
| Discovered: | February 19, 2008 |
| Discovery Method: | radial velocity |
| Minorplanet: | no |
| Apsis: | astron |
| Semimajor: | 0.81AU |
| Eccentricity: | 0 |
| Period: | 184.02 ± 0.18 d |
| Time Periastron: | 2,452,335.4 ± 1.1 |
| Star: | 41 Lyncis |
41 Lyncis b (abbreviated 41 Lyn b), also designated HD 81688 b and named Arkas,[1] is an extrasolar planet approximately 280 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Ursa Major.
A gas giant with a minimum mass 2.7 times that of Jupiter, it orbits the K-type star 41 Lyncis with an orbital period of 184 days (corresponding to a semi-major axis of 0.81 AU). It was discovered and announced by Bun'ei Sato on February 19, 2008.
In July 2014, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) 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 name Arkas for this planet.[4] The winning name was submitted by the Okayama Astro Club of Japan. Arkas was the son of Callisto (Ursa Major) in Greek mythology.[5]