S22B0026
S22B0026
We propose SCExAO/CHARIS follow-up of a faint, likely directly-imaged exoplanet or very low-mass brown dwarf identified in February 2022, ∼27 au from a nearby F star as a part of our SCExAO accelerating star survey. Analysis of its spectrum – while noisy – favors an atmosphere resembling those of the first imaged exoplanets, HR 8799 bcde, and the first imaged exoplanet discovered from our survey (HIP 99770 b). It is responsible for a 3.5σ acceleration induced on its host star as seen by Gaia: unlike nearly all other imaged exoplanets so far, it is possible to derive the companion’s dynamical mass instead of inferring a mass from uncertain evolutionary models. New data will yield a high SNR detection across the JHK passbands that better constrains the companion’s atmosphere and dynamical mass. Together with HIP 99770 b and future discoveries, this companion could establish, for the first time, a new sample of exoplanets and brown dwarfs with known ages, dynamical masses, and atmospheric properties, allowing a new and an unrivalled look at the atmospheric evolution of exoplanets and brown dwarfs as a function of mass.
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