A Transiting Jupiter Analog

TL;DR

This paper reports the first validated transiting Jupiter analog, Kepler-167e, discovered using Kepler data, which provides new insights into long-period giant planets and their system architectures.

Contribution

It presents the discovery and validation of Kepler-167e as the first transiting Jupiter analog, with precise orbital parameters and system characterization.

Findings

Kepler-167e has a radius of 0.91 R_Jup and low eccentricity.

Kepler-167e's orbital period is precisely measured at 1071.2323 days.

The system includes three validated Super-Earths with a large transiting planet cavity.

Abstract

Decadal-long radial velocity surveys have recently started to discover analogs to the most influential planet of our solar system, Jupiter. Detecting and characterizing these worlds is expected to shape our understanding of our uniqueness in the cosmos. Despite the great successes of recent transit surveys, Jupiter analogs represent a terra incognita, owing to the strong intrinsic bias of this method against long orbital periods. We here report on the first validated transiting Jupiter analog, Kepler-167e (KOI-490.02), discovered using Kepler archival photometry orbiting the K4-dwarf KIC-3239945. With a radius of $(0.91\pm0.02)$ $R_{\mathrm{Jup}}$, a low orbital eccentricity ($0.06_{-0.04}^{+0.10}$) and an equilibrium temperature of $(131\pm3)$ K, Kepler-167e bears many of the basic hallmarks of Jupiter. Kepler-167e is accompanied by three Super-Earths on compact orbits, which we also validate, leaving a large cavity of transiting worlds around the habitable-zone. With two transits and continuous photometric coverage, we are able to uniquely and precisely measure the orbital period of this post snow-line planet ($1071.2323\pm0.0006$ d), paving the way for follow-up of this $K=11.8$ mag target.