High-precision photometry by telescope defocussing. IV. Confirmation of the huge radius of WASP-17b

TL;DR

This study confirms that WASP-17b is the largest known exoplanet, using high-precision photometry and modeling, and finds its orbital parameters differ from previous reports, challenging some theories about large planet radii.

Contribution

First precise photometric confirmation of WASP-17b's large radius using telescope defocussing techniques and updated orbital and physical parameters.

Findings

WASP-17b's radius is 1.932 Rjup, confirming it as the largest known planet.

The revised orbital period is 4.0 seconds longer than previous measurements.

Large radii are observed around hot, massive stars with low activity levels.

Abstract

We present photometric observations of four transits in the WASP-17 planetary system, obtained using telescope defocussing techniques and with scatters reaching 0.5 mmag per point. Our revised orbital period is 4.0 +/- 0.6 s longer than previous measurements, a difference of 6.6 sigma, and does not support the published detections of orbital eccentricity in this system. We model the light curves using the JKTEBOP code and calculate the physical properties of the system by recourse to five sets of theoretical stellar model predictions. The resulting planetary radius, Rb = 1.932 +/- 0.052 +/- 0.010 Rjup (statistical and systematic errors respectively), provides confirmation that WASP-17b is the largest planet currently known. All fourteen planets with radii measured to be greater than 1.6 Rjup are found around comparatively hot (Teff > 5900 K) and massive (MA > 1.15 Msun) stars. Chromospheric activity indicators are available for eight of these stars, and all imply a low activity level. The planets have small or zero orbital eccentricities, so tidal effects struggle to explain their large radii. The observed dearth of large planets around small stars may be natural but could also be due to observational biases against deep transits, if these are mistakenly labelled as false positives and so not followed up.