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American Astronomical Society, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 2(917), p. L34, 2021

DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ac13a9

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TOI-942b: A Prograde Neptune in a ∼ 60 Myr Old Multi-transiting System*

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Abstract Mapping the orbital obliquity distribution of young planets is one avenue toward understanding mechanisms that sculpt the architectures of planetary systems. TOI-942 is a young field star, with an age of ∼60 Myr, hosting a planetary system consisting of two transiting Neptune-sized planets in 4.3 and 10.1 day period orbits. We observed the spectroscopic transits of the inner Neptune TOI-942b to determine its projected orbital obliquity angle. Through two partial transits, we find the planet to be in a prograde orbit, with a projected obliquity angle of ∣ λ ∣ = 1 − 33 + 41 deg. In addition, incorporating the light curve and the stellar rotation period, we find the true 3D obliquity to be 2 − 23 + 27 deg. We explored various sources of uncertainties specific to the spectroscopic transits of planets around young active stars, and showed that our reported obliquity uncertainty fully encompassed these effects. TOI-942b is one of the youngest planets to have its obliquity characterized, and one of even fewer residing in a multi-planet system. The prograde orbital geometry of TOI-942b is in line with systems of similar ages, none of which have yet been identified to be in strongly misaligned orbits.