Adaptive Optics Observations of Vega: Eight Detected Sources and Upper Limits to Planetary-Mass Companions

Preprint

17 September 2002

preprint
Published by arXiv in arXiv

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.astro-ph/0209318

Abstract

From adaptive optics observations with the Palomar 5-meter telescope we place upper limits on the masses of any planetary companions located between ~30-230 AU away from Vega, where our data are sensitive to depths ranging from H=12.5 mag to H=19.0 mag fainter than Vega itself. Our observations cover a plus-shaped area with two 25"x57" elements, excluding 7"x7" centered on the star. We have identified 2 double and 4 single point sources. These projected companions are 14.9-18.9 mag fainter than Vega, and if physically associated would have masses ranging from 4 to 35 Mjup and orbital radii 170-260 AU. Recent simulations of dusty rings around Vega predict the presence of a perturbing body with mass 10 Mjup brown dwarf could have been seen at separation >80 AU.

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Version 1, 2002-09-17, ArXiv
Published version: The Astrophysical Journal, 582 (2), 1102.

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