Orbital inclination and mass of the exoplanet candidate Proxima c
P. Kervella, F. Arenou, Jean Schneider
Abstract
We analyze the orbital parameters of the recently discovered exoplanet candidate Proxima c using a combination of its spectroscopic orbital parameters and Gaia DR2 astrometric proper motion anomaly. We obtain an orbital inclination of i = 152 ± 14 deg, corresponding to a planet mass of $ m_{c} = 12^{+12}_{-5}\,M_\oplus $, comparable to Uranus and Neptune. While the derived orbital parameters are too uncertain to accurately predict the position of the planet for a given epoch, we present a map of its probability of presence relative to its parent star in the coming years.
Topics & Concepts
ExoplanetPlanetOrbital inclinationPhysicsEpoch (astronomy)Orbital elementsUranusOrbital motionAstronomyAstrophysicsAnomaly (physics)Proper motionBinary numberStarsAngular momentumMathematicsClassical mechanicsCondensed matter physicsArithmeticStellar, planetary, and galactic studiesAstrophysics and Star Formation StudiesAstro and Planetary Science