Resonance in the orbital periods of planetary system HD 110067
Resonance in the orbital periods of planetary system HD 110067
After observations with NASA’s TESS space telescope, two planets were initially discovered around the star HD 110067 – HD 110067 b and c – orbiting it in just 9.1 days and 13.7 days respectively. When ‘b’ has orbited three times, 'c' has orbited twice, giving a resonance ratio of three to two. Given this, times were calculated for further observations with the ESA CHEOPS space telescope, during which planets orbiting further out would have to pass in front of HD 110067 and slightly attenuate its light. Based on these 'predictions', CHEOPS found another planet, HD 110067 d, and several possibilities for other outer planets in resonant orbits were ruled out. This was key to interpreting transit dips found in the light curves measured by TESS that could not previously be interpreted, resulting in the discovery of three additional, outer orbiting planets, HD 110067 e, f and g.
Credit:
ESA