Publication Date:
2015-08-29
Description:
We analyse FORS2/VLT I -band imaging data to monitor the motions of both components in the nearest known binary brown dwarf WISE J104915.57-531906.1AB (LUH 16) over one year. The astrometry is dominated by parallax and proper motion, but with a precision of ~0.2 mas per epoch we accurately measure the relative position change caused by the orbital motion of the pair. This allows us to directly measure a mass ratio of q = 0.78 ± 0.10 for this system. We also search for the signature of a planetary-mass companion around either of the A and B component and exclude at 3 the presence of planets with masses larger than 2 M J and orbital periods of 20–300 d. We update the parallax of LUH 16 to 500.51 ± 0.11 mas, i.e. just within 2 pc. This study yields the first direct constraint on the mass ratio of LUH 16 and shows that the system does not harbour any close-in giant planets.
Print ISSN:
1745-3925
Electronic ISSN:
1745-3933
Topics:
Physics
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