Mu Arae d, also known as HD 160691 d, formally named Rocinante /ˌrɒsəˈnænt/, is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star Mu Arae of the constellation Ara.

Mu Arae d / Rocinante
Discovery
Discovered byGoździewski et al.
Mayor, Pepe
Discovery siteChile South America
Discovery dateAugust 5, 2006
Doppler Spectroscopy
Orbital characteristics
Apastron0.9823 AU (146,950,000 km)
Periastron0.8597 AU (128,610,000 km)
0.9210 AU (137,780,000 km)[1]
Eccentricity0.0666 ± 0.0122[1]
310.55 ± 0.83[1] d
0.8502 y
2452708.7 ± 8.3[1]
189.6 ± 9.4[1]
Semi-amplitude14.91 ± 0.59[1]
StarMu Arae

Characteristics

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The planet has a mass about half that of Jupiter and orbits at a distance of 0.921 AU from the star with a period of 310.55 days. The planet may be located at a distance close enough to the star to receive a comparable amount of ultraviolet radiation as the Earth does from the Sun. However, it is too close to the star to be able to support liquid water at its surface.[2] Furthermore, given its mass, the planet is likely to be a gas giant with no solid surface.

Name

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In July 2014 the International Astronomical Union launched NameExoWorlds, a process for giving proper names to certain exoplanets and their host stars.[3] The process involved public nomination and voting for the new names.[4] In December 2015, the IAU announced the winning name was Rocinante for this planet.[5] The winning name was submitted by the Planetario de Pamplona, Spain. Rocinante was the horse of the lead character of the novel Don Quixote.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Pepe, F.; Correia, A. C. M.; Mayor, M.; Tamuz, O.; et al. (2007). "The HARPS search for southern extra-solar planets. VIII. μ Arae, a system with four planets". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 462 (2): 769–776. arXiv:astro-ph/0608396. Bibcode:2007A&A...462..769P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20066194. S2CID 59157984.
  2. ^ Buccino, A.; et al. (2006). "Ultraviolet Radiation Constraints around the Circumstellar Habitable Zones". Icarus. 183 (2): 491–503. arXiv:astro-ph/0512291. Bibcode:2006Icar..183..491B. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.03.007. S2CID 2241081.
  3. ^ NameExoWorlds: An IAU Worldwide Contest to Name Exoplanets and their Host Stars. IAU.org. 9 July 2014
  4. ^ "NameExoWorlds The Process". Archived from the original on 2015-08-15. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
  5. ^ Final Results of NameExoWorlds Public Vote Released, International Astronomical Union, 15 December 2015.
  6. ^ "NameExoWorlds The Approved Names". Archived from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2016-01-03.