Beta Pictoris b

Beta Pictoris b (β Pic b) is an extra-solar planet discovered through direct imaging using SPHERE, that orbits about 10 AU from well-known A-type star, β Pictoris (Beta Pictoris). At 12 Jupiter masses, β Pic b is near the threshold of the mass range for brown dwarfs, so there is some chance its classification will be revised. As a directly-imaged object, data from observing it is useful in modeling apparently-similar objects orbiting closer to their hosts, both exoplanets and brown dwarfs. Characteristics:

• Host star: Beta Pictoris (β Pic).
• Discovery: by direct imaging in 2008.
• 63 ly - distance.
• 10 AU - orbital radius (semi-major axis).
• 24 years - approximate orbital period.
• 1.46 - radius in Jupiter radii.
• 8.7 hours - rotation period.
• 12 - Jupiter masses.
• 1724 K - determined effective temperature.