Vega System

Exoplanetary Scratchpad [SysBP Img]

Vega is also known as Alpha Lyrae, HR 7001, HD 172167, and Gl 721. It is the fifth brightest star in the night sky the second brightest star visible from the Northern hemisphere, and brightest star in the Northern Summer. It is part of the Summer Triangle. It was the first star to be photographed in 1850. It is a slightly bluish star (A0) with about 2.15 times the sun's mass and 2.7 its diameter. It was at first estimated to be about 200 Million Years old, but now thought to be closer to 700. It was found to be rotating so fast that the equator bulges significantly (23%) and is cooler at its poles. Nearby star with one of the first detected circumstellar disks. The star is pointed nearly pole-on from the Earth, so it is ideal for the observation of dust disks. There have been many studies suggesting planets are responsible for features found in the disk. Two bright "clumps" of dust were identified and thought to be due to the gravitational effects of an eccentric planet's orbit. It was surmised that this disk was caused by a collision between Pluto sized objects. A distinct asteroid belt and kuiper belt at distance scales that dwarf our Solar Systems was found to exist, which suggest outer planets clearing out the space in between. These planets cannot be detected at the present, but could be detected by the James Webb Space Telescope. One of 5 PICTURE-C targets selected for sub-orbital coronograph observation.

Vega System Web Pages

• System of the Day
• Extrasolar Visions
• Sol Station
• Astro Cosmo (translated)
• Wikipedia
• Worlds of David Darling

Vega System In the News

Dust Disk Discovered by IRAS (1983)

• http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/80s/release_1983_1035.html

Follow-Up Observations (1984-1994)

• article (1984)

Dust Disc First Imaged by JACA (1998)

• http://outreach.jach.hawaii.edu/pressroom/1998_vega/

Planet Detected With Disk Modelling (2000)

• http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/~abstract/abstracts/S202P.html#abstract60
• http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/spacesci/origins/dustdisk.htm

Ring Arc Planet Announced(2002)

• http://www.aas.org/publications/baas/v33n4/aas199/765.htm
• http://www.aas.org/publications/baas/v33n4/aas199/1140.htm

Clump Planet Announced (2002)

• http://www.aas.org/publications/baas/v33n4/aas199/375.htm
• http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/ep/pressrel/wilner_aas02.html
• http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0201/12vega/

Migrating Neptune Announced (2003)

• http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0308253
  
• http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mystery_monday_031208.html
• http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0312/01vega/
• http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=000551E9-B90B-1FCB-B90B83414B7F0183
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3251382.stm

Disk Caused By Plutonic Collision (Jan 2005)

• http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2005/jan/HQ_05010_spitzer.html

Spitzer Images a Bigger Dust Disk (2005)

• http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0504086
• article

Vega's Bulge Discovered (2005)

• http://space.com/scienceastronomy/060110_vega_cool.html

Distinct Asteroid and Kuiper Belt Detected with Suspected Outer Planets In Between (2013)

• http://www.americaspace.com/?p=30074
• http://uanews.org/story/asteroid-belt-found-around-vega
• http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2013/jan/HQ_13-006_Vega_Asteroid_Belt.html

Selected As PICTURE-C Suborbital Coronograph Target

See Vega System, Alsafi System, Epsilon Eridani System, Altair System, Tau Ceti System

• http://www.uml.edu/News/press-releases/2015/NASAimaging030315.aspx
• http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/03/04/nasa-gives-umass-lowell-for-planet-project/dYGzTjoxJI8w8Hd5SSi8bN/story.html#

See Also

• Aliases: Alpha Lyrae System, HR 7001 System, Gliese 721, HD 172167 System