Abstract
We report the discovery of two low-mass companions to the young A0V star HD1160 at projected separations of 81 ± 5AU (HD1160B) and 533 ± 25AU (HD1160C) by the Gemini NICI Planet-Finding Campaign. Very Large Telescope images of the system taken over a decade for the purpose of using HD1160A as a photometric calibrator confirm that both companions are physically associated. By comparing the system to members of young moving groups and open clusters with well-established ages, we estimate an age of 50+50 -40Myr for HD1160 ABC. While the UVW motion of the system does not match any known moving group, the small magnitude of the space velocity is consistent with youth. Near-IR spectroscopy shows HD1160C to be an M3.5 ± 0.5 star with an estimated mass of 0.22+0.03 -0.04 M⊙, while NIR photometry of HD1160B suggests a brown dwarf with a mass of 33 +12 -9 M Jup. The very small mass ratio (0.014) between the A and B components of the system is rare for A star binaries, and would represent a planetary-mass companion were HD1160A to be slightly less massive than the Sun.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 53 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 750 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 1 2012 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science
Keywords
- brown dwarfs
- instrumentation: adaptive optics
- planetary systems
- planets and satellites: detection
- stars: individual (HD 1160)