A Candidate Protoplanet in the Taurus Star-forming Region

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Abstract
Hubble Space Telescope/Near-Infrared Camera and Multiobject Spectrometer images of the class I protostar TMR-1 (IRAS 04361+2547) reveal a faint companion with 100=1400 AU projected separation. The central protostar is itself resolved as a close binary with 031=42 AU separation, surrounded by circumstellar reflection nebulosity. A long narrow filament seems to connect the protobinary to the faint companion TMR-1C, suggesting a physical association. If the sources are physically related, then we hypothesize that TMR-1C has been ejected by the protobinary. If TMR-1C has the same age and distance as the protobinary, then current models indicate that its flux is consistent with a young giant planet of several Jovian masses.
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