2007/10/16 by Benjamin F. Lane, Matthew W. Muterspaugh, Francis C. Fekel +11
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrometry #Astronomy #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Exoplanet #Orbital elements #Orbital period #Physics #Radial velocity #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/520877
Corrected Author Ordering; 12 Pages, Accepted for publication in ApJ
arxiv created 2007/10/16 · openalex publication_date 2007/11/10 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We have used high-precision differential astrometry from the Palomar High-precision Astrometric Search for Exoplanet Systems (PHASES) project and radial velocity measurements covering a time span of 20 years to determine the orbital parameters of the 88 Tau A system. 88 Tau is a complex hierarchical multiple system comprising a total of six stars; we have studied the brightest four, consisting of two short-period pairs orbiting each other with an ~18 yr period. We present the first orbital solution for one of the short-period pairs, and determine the masses of the components and distance to the system to the level of a few percent. In addition, our astrometric measurements allow us to make the first determination of the mutual inclinations of the orbits. We find that the subsystems are not coplanar.