NGTS-14Ab: A Neptune-sized transiting planet in the desert

  • A. M.S. Smith
  • , J. S. Acton
  • , D. R. Anderson
  • , D. J. Armstrong
  • , D. Bayliss
  • , C. Belardi
  • , F. Bouchy
  • , R. Brahm
  • , J. T. Briegal
  • , E. M. Bryant
  • , M. R. Burleigh
  • , J. Cabrera
  • , A. Chaushev
  • , B. F. Cooke
  • , J. C. Costes
  • , Sz Csizmadia
  • , Ph Eigmüller
  • , A. Erikson
  • , S. Gill
  • , E. Gillen
  • M. R. Goad, M. N. Günther, B. A. Henderson, A. Hogan, A. Jordan, M. Lendl, J. McCormac, M. Moyano, L. D. Nielsen, H. Rauer, L. Raynard, R. H. Tilbrook, O. Turner, S. Udry, J. I. Vines, C. A. Watson, R. G. West, P. J. Wheatley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Context. The sub-Jovian, or Neptunian, desert is a previously identified region of parameter space where there is a relative dearth of intermediate-mass planets with short orbital periods. Aims. We present the discovery of a new transiting planetary system within the Neptunian desert, NGTS-14. Methods. Transits of NGTS-14Ab were discovered in photometry from the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). Follow-up transit photometry was conducted from several ground-based facilities, as well as extracted from TESS full-frame images. We combine radial velocities from the HARPS spectrograph with the photometry in a global analysis to determine the system parameters. Results. NGTS-14Ab has a radius that is about 30 per cent larger than that of Neptune (0.444 ± 0.030 RJup) and is around 70 per cent more massive than Neptune (0.092 ± 0.012 MJup). It transits the main-sequence K1 star, NGTS-14A, with a period of 3.54 days, just far away enough to have maintained at least some of its primordial atmosphere. We have also identified a possible long-period stellar mass companion to the system, NGTS-14B, and we investigate the binarity of exoplanet host stars inside and outside the Neptunian desert using Gaia.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberA183
JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics
Volume646
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Feb 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Binaries: general
  • Planetary systems
  • Planets and satellites: detection
  • Planets and satellites: individual: NGTS-14Ab

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