1. Michael Endl Board of Visitors Meeting - July 2009
The McDonald Observatory
Planet Search Program
Michael Endl
Board of Visitors Meeting - July 2009

2. Science Questions:
How frequent are “extrasolar” planets?
What are their characteristics (e.g. mass, orbit)?
How do planetary systems form?
Is our Solar System typical?
How common are Earth-like planets?
How can we detect planets around other stars?

3. Stars are a billion times brighter…
SCRIPT: Stars are a billion times brighter…
WHAT’S ON THE SLIDE: Artist’s rendering of a lighthouse with beacon shining.

4. …than the planet …hidden in the glare. SCRIPT: …than the planet
[Click space bar]
…hidden in the glare.
WHAT’S ON THE SLIDE: Artist’s rendering of a lighthouse with beacon off. A small firefly is perched atop the lighthouse lamp.

6. The “Radial Velocity” Technique:

7. The Search for Extrasolar Planets at McDonald Observatory
Bill Cochran & Artie Hatzes
Diane Paulson, Robert Wittenmyer, Stuart Barnes, Phillip MacQueen
Michael Endl
Hobby-Eberly
9 m Telescope
present
Harlan J. Smith
2.7 m Telescope
present

8. 1997: The first 2.7 m
Survey Planet:
P = 2.2 yrs a = 1.67 AU M ~ 1.7 M Jupiter

10. measurement precision
HET/HRS
measurement precision
RMS = 3.11 m s-1
May Oct Jun 2009

11. HD 37605 b: the first HET planet
m sin i = /- 0.3 MJup P = / d
e = / K = /- 5.5 m s-1
a = / AU

12. Rho 1 Cnc e : the first extrasolar Neptune!
HET
Rho 1 Cancri:
2004: planet e minimum mass ~ 14 M Earth
2008: (+ planet f) planet e minimum mass ~ 10 M Earth

13. HD 155358: a double planet system around a metal poor star
Planet b: m sin i = 0.89 ± MJup
Planet c: m sin i = 0.50 ± 0.08 MJup
HET

14. Searching for other Earths

15. The “Transit” Method Searching for other Earths Earth: ~ 0.0085 %
Viewing angle ~ orbital plane!
Delta L / L ~ ( Rplanet / Rstar )2
Jupiter: ~ 1-2 %
Earth: ~ %
The “Transit” Method

16. March 2009: NASA’s KEPLER mission
is launched!

17. Follow-up Observing Program (FOP):
dRV [ cm / s ]