It has long been the wish of astronomers to discover proof of other planets beyond our Sun.  For most of astronomy's history exactly how the planets formed has remained unknown.  But with recent years has come new ideas and new theories, and the discovery of planets orbiting other stars could support these.  

However, once these other worlds were discovered, every theory that was on the board was suddenly tossed out the window.  First came the discovery of planets around pulsars, the ultra-dense corpses of suns that had died in supernova explosions.  Quickly it was decided that these were aberrations, or better yet that they were not planets in the sense of having formed with the star, but rather that they must have formed from the debris left over from the star's death.

Next came the discovery of a true planet, found orbiting a truly Sun-like star.  51 Pegasi held a planet, a giant similar to Jupiter.  Or so it seemed.  It was quickly obvious, however, that even this world was far beyond the realm of theory.  A Jovian world, orbiting far closer to its sun than Mercury orbits to our own.  This flew in the face of all understanding, and as a consequence how we regard planet formation has completely changed.

As of this writing, we are still limited to discovering worlds that are gas giants.  We study these in Jovian mass units, where Jupiter equals a single unit, and thus far we have found worlds that mass far less than Jupiter (something less than Saturn, in fact), but the discovery of a terrestrial world, a planet that is rocky and potentially a refuge for life, eludes us.  There are upcoming space missions that may reveals these to us, of course, but in the mean time we are confronted with a veritable zoo of gas giants.  We will explore them here, these worlds beyond.

Notes
Under the "Object Data" heading, when more than one planet is present, they will be listed in order of distance from their sun, not in order of discovery.  Their official designations, determined by their order of discovery, will be provided on their own pages.

Star Name Object Data Last Updated
14 Herculis 4.74 Jupiter mass planet October 9, 2005
16 Cygni B 1.69 Jupiter mass planet January 8, 2005
2M1207 5.00 Jupiter mass planet January 17, 2005
23 Librae 1.58 Jupiter mass planet January 22, 2005
47 Ursae Majoris 2.54 Jupiter mass planet
0.76 Jupiter mass planet		 October 9, 2005
51 Pegasi 0.468 Jupiter mass planet May 22, 2005
54 Piscium 0.2 Jupiter mass planet May 22, 2005
55 Cancri 0.045 Jupiter mass planet
0.84 Jupiter mass planet
0.21(?) Jupiter mass planet
5.9 Jupiter mass planet		 May 22, 2005
70 Virginis 7.44 Jupiter mass planet May 22, 2005
83 Leonis A (HD 99492 A) 0.122 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
94 BLG-4 5.00 Jupiter mass planet October 25, 2005
94 Ceti 2.00 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
95 BLG-3 2.00 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
97 BLG-41 3.00 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
98 BLG-35 0.4-1.5 Earth mass planet November 30, 2005
AB Pictorus 13.5 Jupiter mass planet/brown dwarf May 4, 2005
Alpha Piscis Austrini (Fomalhaut) Dust disk
Jupiter mass planet (inferred)		 June 25, 2005
Alpha Tauri 11.00 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
BD+31 643 AB Dust disk November 30, 2005
BD-10 3166 0.48 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
Beta Pictorus Jupiter mass planet (inferred) November 30, 2005
Epsilon Eridani 0.86 Jupiter mass planet
0.1 (?) Jupiter mass planet		 November 30, 2005
Epsilon Reticuli 1.28 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
G29-38 Dust disk January 13, 2006
Gamma Cephei 1.59 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
GJ 436 0.067 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
Gliese 4.2 (HD 142) A 1.36 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
Gliese 31.5 (HD 4308) 0.047 Jupiter mass planet October 9, 2005
Gliese 196 (HD 33564) 9.1 Jupiter mass planet October 25, 2005
Gliese 209 (HD 37124) 0.61 Jupiter mass planet
0.60 Jupiter mass planet
0.66 Jupiter mass planet		 June 25, 2005
Gliese 581 0.056 Jupiter mass planet October 9, 2005
Gliese 606.1 A (HD 142022 A) 4.40 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
Gliese 777 A (HD 190360 A) 0.057 Jupiter mass planet
1.502 Jupiter mass planet		 June 25, 2005
Gliese 876 0.023 Jupiter mass planet (5.89 Earth mass)
0.56 Jupiter mass planet
1.935 Jupiter mass planet		 June 25, 2005
GQ Lupi (2MASS J12073346-3932539) 2.00 Jupiter mass planet March 31, 2005
HD 2638 0.48 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 12039 asteroid belt
planet inferred		 December 14, 2005
HD 20782 1.80 Jupiter mass planet March 15, 2006
HD 27894 0.62 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 45350 0.98 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 63454 0.38 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 73526 2.90 Jupiter mass planet
2.50 Jupiter mass planet		 February 28, 2006
HD 81040 6.86 Jupiter mass planet November 30, 2005
HD 93083 0.37 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 101930 0.30 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 102117 0.18 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 102195 0.48 Jupiter mass planet January 13, 2006
HD 108874 1.36 Jupiter mass planet
1.018 Jupiter mass planet		 June 25, 2005
HD 109749 0.28 Jupiter mass planet August 27, 2005
HD 117207 2.06 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 118203 2.13 Jupiter mass planet October 9, 2005
HD 128311 2.58 Jupiter mass planet
3.21 Jupiter mass planet		 June 25, 2005
HD 149026 0.36 Jupiter mass planet August 27, 2005
HD 149143 1.33 Jupiter mass planet August 27, 2005
HD 183263 3.69 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 187085 0.75 Jupiter mass planet March 15, 2006
HD 188015 1.26 Jupiter mass planet February 18, 2005
HD 188753 A 1.14 Jupiter mass planet August 27,2005
HD 189733 1.15 Jupiter mass planet October 9, 2005
HD 212301 0.045 Jupiter mass planet October 9, 2005
HD 217107 1.37 Jupiter mass planet
2.10 Jupiter mass planet		 June 25, 2005
OGLE-2005-169L 0.043 Jupiter mass planet March 15, 2006
OGLE-2005-BLG-390L 5.50 Earth mass planet January 25, 2006

 

NAME MASS
(times Jupiter)		 SEMI-MAJOR
AXIS (AU)		 PERIOD (days) ECCENTRICITY LAST UPDATED
Gliese 81.1 c
                    b		 0.11
0.70		 0.23
3.17		 37.82
1940.		 0.15
0.30		  
Gliese 86 b 4. 0.11 15.78 0.046  
Gliese 304 b 2.0 3.3 2231 0.1  
Gliese 620.1 b 1. 1.26 540.4 0.52  
Gliese 632 b 1.0 0.82 264.9 0.38  
Gliese 743.2 b 1.28 1.00 391 0.43  
Gliese 848.4 b 1.28 1.097 437 0.45  
GM Aurigae b 1.7? 2.5? 4 years? -  
HD 1237 b 3.21 0.49 133.82 0.505  
HD 2039 b 4.85 2.19 1192.582 0.68  
HD 4203 b 1.65 1.09 400.944 0.46  
HD 4208 b 0.80 1.67 812.197 0.05  
HD 6434 b 0.48 0.15 22.09 0.30  
HD 8574 b 2.23 0.76 228.8 0.40  
HD 10647 b 0.91 2.10 1040 0.18  
HD 10697 b 6.12 2.13 1077.906 0.11  
HD 12661 b
                   c		 2.30
1.57		 0.83
2.56		 263.6
1444.5		 0.096
<0.1		  
HD 13507 b 3.46 2.39 1318 0.13  
HD 16141 b 0.23 0.35 75.560 0.28  
HD 20367 b 1.07 1.25 500 0.23  
HD 23079 b 2.61 1.65 738.459 0.10  
HD 23596 b 7.19 2.72 1558 0.314  
HD 28185 b 5.6 1.0 385 0.06  
HD 30177 b 9.17 3.86 2819.654 0.30  
HD 33636 b 9.28 3.56 2447.292 0.53  
HD 34445 b 0.58 0.51 126. 0.40  
HD 37605 b 2.85 0.26 55.2 0.736
HD 38529 b
                   c		 0.78
12.70		 0.129
3.68		 14.309
2174.3		 0.29
0.36		  
HD 40979 b 3.32 0.811 267.2 0.25  
HD 41004 A b 2.3 1.31 655 0.39  
HD 46375 b 0.249 0.041 3.024 0.04  
HD 47536 b 4.96 - 9.67 1.61 - 2.25 712.13 0.20  
HD 49674 b 0.12 0.0568 4.948 0.  
HD 50499 b 1.84 4.4 2990 0.32  
HD 50554 b 4.9 2.38 1279.0 0.42  
HD 52265 b 1.13 0.49 118.96 0.29  
HD 59686 b 6.5 ~ 0.8 303 -  
HD 65216 b 1.21 1.37 613.1 0.41  
HD 68988 b 1.90 0.071 6.276 0.14  
HD 72659 b 2.55 3.24 2185 0.18  
HD 74156 b
                   c		 1.86
>6.17		 0.294
3.40		 51.643
2025		 0.636
0.583		  
HD 75289 b 0.42 0.046 3.51 0.054  
HD 76700 b 0.197 0.049 3.971 0.0  
HD 80606 b 3.41 0.439 111.78 0.927  
HD 82943 b
                   c		 0.88
1.63		 0.73
1.16		 221.6
444.6		 0.54
0.41		  
HD 83443 b 0.41 0.04 2.985 0.08  
HD 88133 b 0.29 0.046 3.415 0.11  
HD 89307 b 2.73 4.15 3090 0.32  
HD 89744 b 7.99 0.89 256.6 0.67  
HD 92788 b 3.8 0.94 340 0.36  
HD 104985 b 6.3 0.78 198.2 0.03  
HD 106252 b 6.81 2.61 1500 0.54  
HD 108147 b 0.41 0.104 10.901 0.498  
HD 111232 b 6.8 1.97 1143 0.20  
HD 114386 b 0.99 1.62 872 0.28  
HD 114729 b 0.82 2.08 1131.478 0.31  
HD 114762 b 11. 0.3 84.03 0.334  
HD 114783 b 0.9 1.20 501.0 0.1  
HD 117618 b 0.19 0.28 52.2 0.39  
HD 121504 b 0.89 0.32 64.6 0.13  
HD 130322 b 1.08 0.088 10.724 0.048  
HD 136118 b 11.9 2.335 1209.6 0.366  
HD 141937 b 9.7 1.52 653.22 0.41  
HD 142415 b 1.62 1.05 386.3 0.5  
HD 154857 b 1.80 1.11 398 0.51  
HD 162020 b 13.75 0.072 8.428198 0.277  
HD 168443 b
                      c		 7.7
16.9		 0.29
2.85		 58.116
1739.50		 0.529
0.228		  
HD 168746 b 0.23 0.065 6.403 0.081  
HD 169830 b
                     c		 2.88
4.04		 0.81
3.60		 225.62
2102		 0.31
0.33		  
HD 178911 B b 6.292 0.32 71.487 0.1243  
HD 179949 b 0.84 0.045 3.093 0.05  
HD 187123 b 0.52 0.042 3.097 0.03  
HD 190228 b 4.99 2.31 1127 0.43  
HD 192263 b 0.72 0.15 24.348 0.0  
HD 195019 b 3.43 0.14 18.3 0.05  
HD 196050 b 3.0 2.5 1289 0.28  
HD 196885 b 1.84 1.12 386. 0.30  
HD 202206 b
                     c		 17.4
2.44		 0.883
2.55		 225.87
1383.4		 0.435
0.267		  
HD 208487 b 0.45 0.49 130 0.32  
HD 209458 b 0.69 0.045 3.5247542 0.0  
HD 213240 b 4.5 2.03 951 0.45  
HD 216437 b 2.1 2.7 1294 0.34  
HD 216770 b 0.65 0.46 118.45 0.37  
HD 222582 b 5.11 1.35 572.0 0.76  
HD 223084 b 1.21 0.44 104.09 0.48  
HD 330075 b 0.76 0.043 3.369 0.0  
HIP 75458 b 8.64 1.34 550.651 0.71  
Iota Horologii b 2.26 0.925 320.1 0.161  
Lalande 21185 b
                          c		 0.9
1.6		 -
-		 5.8 y
~30 y ?		 -
-		  
Mu Arae d
                      b
                      c		 0.042
1.7
3.1		 0.09
1.5
4.17		 9.55
638
2986		 0.
0.31
0.8?		  
OGLE-235/MOA-53 1.5-2.5 2.8 - 3 ? ?  
OGLE 2002-BLG-055 b 1-10 ? ? ?  
OGLE-TR 3 b 0.5? 0.025 1.1899 -  
OGLE-TR 10 b 0.63 0.04 3.1014 -  
OGLE-TR-56 b 1.45 0.0225 1.2 -  
OGLE-TR-111 b 0.53 0.047 4.02 -  
OGLE-TR-113 b 1.35 0.0228 1.43 -  
OGLE-TR-132 b 1.01 0.0306 1.69 -  
Phi-2 Pavonis b 0.69 - 42.5 0.429  
Pi Mensae b 10.35 3.29 2063.818 0.62  
Psi-1 Aquarii b 2.9 ~ 0.3 182 -  
PSR 1257+12 a
                          b
                          c
                          d
   cometary mass
                           e		 0.020 (E)
4.3 (E)
3.9 (E)
cometary 
~ 100 (E)		 0.19
0.36
0.46
?
40		 25.262(d)
66.5419(d)
98.2114(d)
~ 3 (y) ?
~ 170 (y)		 0.0
0.0186
0.0252
?
-		  
PSR 1620-26 B b 2.5 23 ~100 -  
Q0957+561 b a few E - - -  
Rho Coronae Borealis b 1.04 0.22 39.845 0.04  
S Orionis 70 3 - - -  
Tau Boötis b 3.87 0.0462 3.3128 0.018  
Tau-1 Gruis b 1.49 2.7 1442.919 0.34  
TrES-1 0.75 0.0393 3.030065 0.0  
Upsilon Andromedae b
                                     c
                                     d		 0.69
1.19
3.75		 0.059
0.829
2.53		 4.6170
241.5
1284.		 0.012
0.28
0.27		  
W 3 (OH) b 10-4 ? E 2000? - -  

 

 

Updates

March 15, 2006:  Added the listings for OGLE-2005-169L, HD 187085, and HD 20782.
 February 28, 2006:  Added the listing for both planets about HD 73526.
January 25, 2006:  Added the listing for OGLE-2005-BLG-390L.
January 13, 2006:  Added the listing for HD 102195 and G29-38.
December 14, 2005:  Added the listing for HD 12039 and its asteroid belt.
November 30, 2005:  Added the listing for HD 81040.  Moved this section of Explorations to the Maastrichian server.
October 25, 2005:  Removed mention of the dust disk around Gliese 196 (HD 33564);  it has been found to be a spurious artifact created by a line of site galaxy in the background.  I also moved some entries from the lower list to the upper, newer one.
October 9, 2005:  Added newly discovered planet entries.  Minor update to the 14 Herculis system.  Created the page for 47 Ursae Majoris.
August 27, 2005:  Added entries for HD 149026, HD 188753, HD 149143, and HD 109749.
June 25, 2005:  Added entries for Gliese 876, Fomalhaut, HD 108874, HD 128311, HD 190360, HD 217107, and 37124.
May 22, 2005:  Moved a few entries into the new format.
May 4, 2005:  Reformatted this page a bit to make it easier to handle.  Added the information for AB Pictoris.
April 4, 2005:  Added the preliminary statistics for 47 Ursae Majoris.
March 31, 2005: Added the preliminary statistics for GQ Lupi.
February 18, 2005:  Updated the preliminary statistics for HD 2638, HD 27894, HD 63454, HD 93083, HD 101930, Gliese 606.1 A (HD 142022 A), HD 102117, HD 45350, 83 Leonis A (HD 99492 A), HD 117207, HD 183263, and HD 188015.
February 9, 2005:  Began a revision on the presentation style of this page.  Further changes will occur as I add content to this section of Explorations.
February 8, 2005:  Added the preliminary statistics on this page for HD 2638 b, HD 27894 b, HD 63454 b, HD 93083 b, HD 101930 b, HD 102117 b and HD 142022 A b, and updated the preliminary information for HD 101930 b.
January 26, 2005:  Updated the preliminary statistics for the following planets:  HD 45350, HD 99492, HD 117207, HD 183263 and HD 188015.
January 22, 2005:  Added the preliminary 23 Librae b page.
January 17, 2005:  Added the preliminary 2M1207 b page.
January 8, 2005:  Added the preliminary 14 Herculis b and 16 Cygni B b pages.
January 3, 2005:  Assigned each star its more common name, where applicable, such as Flamsteed names or Gliese names.
December 16, 2004:  Revamped this page and updated the worlds list.  The next step is to assign each star its most common name.
December 15, 2004:  Updated the links and email to this Index Page.

 

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Contents © John M. Dollan 2003-2006
This Page first uploaded October 7, 2003
Most recent update for this page March 15, 2006