Notes for PSR 1257+12

update: 25 January 2005

The planet(s):

• Detection method: Timing
• Basic data:

  Name:	PSR 1257+12 A	PSR 1257+12 B	PSR 1257+12 C
  M.sin	0.020 ± 0.002 ME	4.3 ± 0.2 ME	3.9 ± 0.2 ME
  Semi-major axis:	0.19 AU	0.36 AU	0.46 AU
  Orbital period:	25.262 ± 0.003 d.	66.5419 ± 0.0001 d.	98.2114 ± 0.0002 d.
  Eccentricity:	0.0	0.0186 ± 0.0002	0.0252 ± 0.0002
  Omega (deg):	0.0	250.4 ± 6	108.3 ± 5
  T_peri (MJD):	49765.1 ± 0.2	49768.1 ± 0.1	49766.5 ± 0.1
  Inclination (deg):	Sol. 1: - Sol. 2: -	Sol. 1: 53. ± 4 Sol. 2: 127. ± 4	Sol. 1: 47. ± 3 Sol. 2: 133. ± 3

• Remarks;
  - 31 Oct. 2002: Possible comet around the pulsar PSR1257+12 (courtesy Daniel Fischer)
  - The innermost `planet' claimed to be an artefact due to solar wind (Schere et al. 1997)
  - A possible fourth, Saturn-like, planet at ~ 40 UA (Joshi & Rasio 1996, Wolszczan 1996)
  - 8 May 2000: Planet A cannot be due to a heliospheric propagation effect (Wolszczan et al., 2000)
• References:
  1. BISNOVATYI-KOGAN G., 1993
     Planetary system around the pulsar PSR 1257+12
     Astron. Astrophys., 275, 161
     ADS full paper
  2. CHAKRABARTI S. & KRISHNA-SWAMY K., 1992
     Is there a comet cloud around PSR 1257+12?
     Astronomy & Astrophysics, 263, L1
  3. GIL A., JESSNER A. & KRAMER M., 1993
     Are there really planets around PSR 1257+12?
     Astonomy & Astrophysics, 271, L17
  4. GOZ'DZIEWSKI K., KONACKI M. & WOLSZCZAN A., 2005
     Long Term Stability and Dynamical Environment of the PSR 1257+12 Planetary System.
     ApJ., 619, 1084
     paper
  5. GREAVES J. & HOLLAND W., 1997
     Planets around pulsars - a rare phenomenon?
     BAAS 29, #111.18
     abstract
  6. HAMILTON D. & MILLER M., 2001
     Planet Formation Around Pulsars.
     BAAS, 34, #13.14
     paper
  7. JOSHI K. & RASIO F., 1997
     Distant Companions and Planets around Millisecond Pulsars
     ApJ., 479948
     paper
  8. KONACKI M. & WOLSZCAN A., 2003
     Masses and orbital inclinations of planets in the PSR B1257+12 system.
     ApJ. Letters, 591, L147
     paper
  9. KONACKI M., MACIEJEWCKI A. & WOLSZCZAN A., 2000
     Improved timing formula for the PSR B1257+12 planetary system.
     ApJ, 544, 921
     paper
  10. KONACKI M., MACIEJEWCKI A. & WOLSZCZAN A. 1998
      Resonance in PSR B1257+12 Planetary System
      ApJ. 513, 471
      paper
  11. MALHOTRA R, 1993b
      Three-body effects in the PSR 1257+12 planetary system
      ApJ., 407, 266
      abstract
  12. MALHOTRA R., 1993a
      Orbital dynamics of PSR1257+12 and its two planetary companions
      Planets around pulsars; Proceedings of the Conference, R.Phillips Ed., ASP Series, p. 89
      abstract
  13. T. MAZEH and I. GOLDMAN, 1995
      Similarities between the Inner Solar System and the Planetary System of PSR B1257+12
      PASP, 107, 250
      (abstract).
  14. MILLER C. & HAMILTON D., 2001
      Implications of the PSR 1257+12 Planetary System for Isolated Millisecond Pulsars.
      ApJ., 550, 863
      paper
  15. NUNES N. & BARTEL N., 1997
      VLBI Astrometry of the Planetary-System Millisecond Pulsar B1257+12
      in 189^th AAS Meeting, Totonto, Junuary 1997
      abstract
  16. PEALE S. J., 1994
      On the detection of mutual perturbations as proof of planets around PSR1257+12
      Astrophys. and Spa. Sci, 212, 77
      abstract
  17. PEALE S., 1993
      On the verification of the planetary system around PSR 1257+12
      Astron. J., 105, 1562
      abstract
  18. RASIO F., NICHOLSON P., SHAPIRO S., & TEUKOLSKY S., 1992
      An Observational Test for the Existence of a Planetary System orbiting PSR 1257+12.
      Nature, 355, 325
  19. SCHERER K., FICHTNER H., ANDERSON J. & LAU E., 1997
      A Pulsar, the Heliosphere, and Pioneer 10: Probable Mimicking of a Planet of PSRB1257+12 by Solar Rotation.
      Science, 278, 1919
      abstract and paper
      See also Apnet News.
  20. TAVANI M. & BROOKSHAW L., 1992
      The Origins of Planets Orbiting Pulsars
      Nature, 356, 320
      abstract
  21. WOLSZCZAN A., 1996a
      Further Observations of the Planets Pulsar
      in Pulsars: Problems and Progress,
      eds. M. Bailes, S. Johnston, & M. Walker
      (IAU Colloquium 160, Astronomical Soc. of the Pacific, Conf. Series), p. 91.
      
  22. WOLSZCZAN A., 1996b
      Further Observations of the Planets Pulsar
      in Planets Beyond the Solar System and the Next Generation of Space Missions (Baltimore 16 - 18 Oct. 1996)
      abstract
  23. WOLSZCZAN A., 1995
      The pulsar planets update
      Astrophys. & Space Sci., 223, 205
  24. WOLSZCZAN A., 1994
      Toward planets around neutron stars
      Astrophys. & Space Sci., 212, 67
      abstract
  25. WOLSZCZAN A., 1994
      Confirmation of Earth-Mass Planets Orbiting the Millisecond Pulsar PSR B1257+12
      Science, 264, 538
  26. WOLSZCZAN A. & FRAIL D., 1992
      A Planetary System around the Millisecond Pulsar PSR1257+12
      Nature, 255, 145
  27. WOLSZCZAN A., HOFFMAN I., KONACKI M., ANDERSON S. & XILOURIS K., 2000
      A 25.3 day Periodicity in the Timing of the Pulsar PSR B 1257+12: a Planet or a Heliospheric Propagation Effect?
      Science, to be submitted
      preprint, with Fig1, Fig2 and Fig3

• Other Web pages:
  1. Pulsar Planets (A. Wolszcan)
  2. Planets, Pulsars and Genetics (J. Cordes & J. Lazio, Cornell)
  3. Chart of Planets Around Pulsar B1257 +12

The star:

• Distance: 300 pc
  This value for the distance is deduced from the DM = 10.186 (Wolszczan 1994), assuming an electron density in ISM of 30 per litre

• Coordinates (2000):RA = 13 00 01, DEC = +12 40.0

• More data:
  • Basic Data (from the Princeton Pulsar Group; enter `1257+12' in the `pulsar catalog information' field)
  • Most recent refs. (from ADS; enter `PSR 1257+12' in the `objects' field)