Notes for Alpha Tau

by Jean Schneider

update: 17 January 2000

The planet(s):

• Detection method: Radial velocity
• Basic data:
  • M.sini:      11 M_J
  • Semi-major axis:      1.3 - 1.4 AU
  • Orbital period:     653.8 days
  • Eccentricity:       0.182 ± 0.065
• Remarks: To be confirmed ( in particular that it is not a long term oscillation )
• References:
  1. HATZES A., 1997
     Confirming planet detection with spectral line bisectors: does Alpha Tau have a planet?
     Poster at the Brown Dwarfs and Extrasolar Planets Workshop Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Canarias, Spain , 17 - 21 march 1997
     abstract
  2. HATZES A. & COCHRAN W., 1998
     On the Nature of the Radial Velocity Variability of Aldebaran: A Search for Spectral Line Bisector Variations
     MNRAS, 293, 469
     abstract and preprint
• Other Web pages:

The star:

• Distance: 20 - 25 pc
• Spectral type: K5III
• Apparent magnitude: V = 0.86
• Absolute luminosity:
• Coordinates (2000):     RA = 04 35 54.962       DEC = +16 30 42.79
• More data:
  • Basic Data (from Simbad )
  • Most recent refs. (from ADS; enter ` alf Tau ' in the `objects' field)