Kepler-56 Explained

Kepler-56 is a red giant in constellation Cygnus roughly 3030ly away with slightly more mass than the Sun.

Characteristics

Kepler-56 is a red giant star. This means it is no longer fusing hydrogen in its core and is off the main sequence. Its mass is around 1.3 M⊙. Its radius is about 4.2 R⊙, putting the star's density at about 0.025g/cm3. For reference, the Sun's density is about 1.408g/cm3. Its metallicity is about 0.0251 Z0/X0. Its luminosity is about 9.6 L⊙, and its effective temperature is 4973K, classifying Kepler-56 as spectral class K3III.

Kepler-56 is about 3.9 billion years old, placing it as about 600 million years younger than our Sun. Its apparent magnitude is +13, making it too dim to be visible to the naked eye.

Planetary system

In 2012, scientists discovered a two-planet planetary system around Kepler-56 via the transit method. Asteroseismological studies revealed that the orbits of Kepler-56b and Kepler-56c are coplanar but about 45° misaligned to the host star's equator. In addition, follow-up radial velocity measurements showed evidence of a gravitational perturbator.[1] It was confirmed in 2016 the perturbations are caused by third, non-transiting planet: Kepler-56d.[2]

The planetary system is very compact but is dynamically stable.[3]

Kepler-56 is expanding. As a result, it will devour Kepler-56b and Kepler-56c in 130 and 155 million years, respectively.[4] [5] 56d will be far enough to survive its parent star's red giant phase.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Huber . Daniel . Carter . Joshua . Barbieri . Mauro . Miglio . Andrea . Deck . Katherine . Fabrycky . Daniel . Montet . Benjamin . Buchhave . Lars . Chaplin . William . Hekker . Saskia . Montalbán . Josefina . 2 . October 21, 2013 . Stellar Spin-Orbit Misalignment in a Multiplanet System . Science . 342 . 6156 . 331–334 . 1310.4503 . 2013Sci...342..331H . 10.1126/science.1242066 . 24136961 . 1056370.
  2. Otor . Oderah Justin . Montet . Benjamin T. . Johnson . John Asher . Charbonneau . David . Collier-Cameron . Andrew . Howard . Andrew W. . Isaacson . Howard . Latham . David W. . Lopez-Morales . Mercedes . Lovis . Christophe . Mayor . Michel . Micela . Giusi . Molinari . Emilio . Pepe . Francesco . Piotto . Giampaolo . Phillips. David F.. Queloz. Didier . Rice. Ken. Sasselov. Dimitar . Ségransan. Damien . Sozzetti. Alessandro . Udry. Stéphane . Watson. Chris. 2 . 22 September 2016 . The Orbit and Mass of the Third Planet in the Kepler-56 System . The Astronomical Journal . Cornell University . 152 . 6 . 165 . 1608.03627v2 . 10.3847/0004-6256/152/6/165 . free . 2016AJ....152..165O . 0004-6256 .
  3. Denham . Paul . Naoz . Smadar . Hoang . Bao-Minh . Stephan . Alexander P . Farr . Will M . 2 . 29 October 2018 . Hidden planetary friends: on the stability of two-planet systems in the presence of a distant, inclined companion . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society . 482 . 3 . 4146–4154 . 10.1093/mnras/sty2830 . free . 0035-8711. 1802.00447 .
  4. News: Kramer. Miriam. June 10, 2014. Chow Down! Star Will Devour 2 Alien Planets. Space.com. 24 February 2022.
  5. Li . Gongjie . Naoz . Smadar . Smadar Naoz . Valsecchi . Francesca . Johnson . John Asher . Rasio . Frederic A. . 2 . October 1, 2014 . The Dynamics of the Multi-planet System Orbiting Kepler-56 . . 794 . 2 . 131 . 1407.2249 . 2014ApJ...794..131L . 10.1088/0004-637X/794/2/131 . 56224888.

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