KMT-2016-BLG-1337Lb
 Artist's rendition of an exoplanet in orbit around a binary star system, much like KMT-2016-BLG-1337Lb | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Cheongho Han et al. |
| Discovery site | KMTNet |
| Discovery date | February 13, 2026 |
| Microlensing | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| 3.97+0.60 −0.92 AU or 1.49+0.22 −0.35 AU[1] | |
| Star | KMT-2016-BLG-1337L |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mass | 0.28+0.15 −0.16 MJ or 7.11+3.93 −3.98 MJ[1] |
KMT-2016-BLG-1337Lb is an exoplanet located approximately 7000 parsecs from Earth, in the constellation Sagittarius, and is part of a binary system consisting of low-mass stars, KMT-2016-BLG-1337L. It was discovered in 2026 by an international team of astronomers during a re-analysis of gravitational microlensing data collected by the KMTNet telescope network.[1]
Host stars
[edit]The binary KMT-2016-BLG-1337L is located in the constellation Sagittarius at a distance of 22570 light-years, or approximately 7000 parsecs from Earth. It is a system composed of two red dwarf stars with masses of about 0.54±0.30 M☉ and 0.40±0.22 M☉, separated by a distance of 0.18 AU.[1]
Characteristics
[edit]
The planet does not have a clear or definitive characteristic, as astronomers encountered the "degeneracy" problem when modeling the light curve. Therefore, they used two possible mathematical models – solutions that explain the obtained observational data.[1]
Solution A
[edit]
In the first case, the planet is a circumbinary object, with a mass of 0.28+0.15
−0.16 MJ, comparable to the mass of Saturn, located at an arbitrary distance from the star of 3.97+0.60
−0.92 AU. This solution exhibits better statistical indicators of agreement with the observed light curve.[1]
Solution B
[edit]Despite this, there is a second outcome where the planet is also in a binary system, but its dynamic interaction with the parent stars is described differently through microlensing parameters. The object would be a super-Jupiter, with a mass of 7.11+3.93
−3.98 MJ, located at a smaller arbitrary distance of 1.49+0.22
−0.35 AU. This solution is considered mathematically possible but less probable in terms of data fitting accuracy.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Han, Cheongho; Lee, Chung-Uk; Bond, Ian A.; Udalski, Andrzej; et al. (2026-02-13). "KMT-2016-BLG-1337L: A Saturn-mass planet orbiting within a binary system of low-mass stars". arXiv:2602.12610 [astro-ph.EP].
External links
[edit]- Martin, Pierre-Yves (2026). "Planet KMT-2016-BLG-1337 b". exoplanet.eu. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
