A Southern Hemisphere Search for Extra-Solar Planets

Carnegie Institution Of Washington, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Butler, Paul "A Southern Hemisphere Search for Extra-Solar Planets" AST-9988087 The PIs propose to extend their very successful search for extra-solar planets at Lick Observatory and Keck Observatory to the southern hemisphere. In principle, even more stars harboring planets are to be found in the south, where the Galaxy's star density is greatest and little prior survey work for planets has been done. Recent improvements in the iodine cell technique for measuring stellar radial velocities pioneered by the PIs now have the potential to detect 'Jupiter and Saturn analogs.' These are less massive and more normal planets than previously detectable. The Anglo-Australian 3.9-m telescope will be used to survey the nearest 600 stars. The results are likely to provide many planetary candidates for follow-up observations with the Space Interferometry Mission. Funding for this project was provided by the NSF program for Stellar Astronomy & Astrophysics (AST/SAA).