NGTS-3Ab

Lore & Background

NGTS-3Ab was announced in June 2018 as a hot Jupiter orbiting a star in a visually unresolved binary system. The discovery relied on data from the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), SPECULOOS, and HARPS, enhanced by advances in centroiding techniques for NGTS. The planetary system was detected through a combined analysis of multi-colour photometry, centroids, and radial velocity extraction. Radial velocity cross-correlation functions and bisector inverse span correlations were simulated to characterize the exoplanet. The planet has a low density, consistent with a gaseous composition, and a low Earth similarity index of 0.06, indicating it is very different from Earth.

Reader's Guide

NGTS-3Ab is notable as a hot Jupiter discovered in a binary star system that remains visually unresolved, highlighting the capability of transit surveys to detect planets in challenging configurations. Its discovery involved a multi-instrument approach combining NGTS, SPECULOOS, and HARPS, along with advanced centroiding techniques to mitigate the binary's influence. The planet's very short orbital period (1.7 days) and close proximity to its host star (0.023 AU) place it firmly in the hot Jupiter category, with a density suggesting a gas-dominated composition. The low Earth similarity index underscores its inhospitable nature. The discovery was led by a team of 39 astronomers, including Max Günther, Didier Queloz, Edward Gillen, Laetitia Delrez, and Francois Bouchy. NGTS-3Ab remains the only known planet orbiting NGTS-3A, and its study contributes to understanding planet formation and evolution in binary systems.

Did You Know?

• NGTS-3Ab has a mass of 2.38 Jupiter masses.
• It orbits its star every 1.7 days at a distance of 0.023 AU.
• The planet was discovered by a team of 39 astronomers.
• Its host star NGTS-3A is a G6V class star in the constellation Columba.