H band Image of a Planetary Companion around HR 8799 in 2002

TL;DR

This paper re-analyzes 2002 H band images of HR 8799 using adaptive optics, confirming the presence and orbit of planet HR 8799b and supporting previous mass estimates.

Contribution

It demonstrates the successful detection of HR 8799b in 2002 images using AO and PSF subtraction, confirming its orbit and flux consistency with later observations.

Findings

HR 8799b detected in 2002 images

Confirmed counter-clockwise orbit of HR 8799b

Flux measurements consistent with previous estimates

Abstract

The discovery of three planetary companions around HR 8799 (Marois et al. 2008) marked a significant epoch in direct imaging of extrasolar planets. Given the importance of this system, we re-analyzed H band images of HR 8799 obtained with the Subaru 36-elements adaptive optics (AO) in July 2002. The low-order AO imaging combined with the classical PSF-subtraction methods even revealed the extrasolar planet, HR 8799b. Our observations in 2002 confirmed that it has been orbiting HR 8799 in a counter-clockwise direction. The flux of HR 8799b was consistent with those in the later epochs within the uncertainty of 0.25 mag, further supporting the planetary mass estimate by Marois et al. (2008).