Wide Separation Planets in Time (WISPIT): Discovery of a Gap Hα Protoplanet WISPIT 2b with MagAO-X

Laird M. Close; Richelle F. van Capelleveen; Gabriel Weible; Kevin Wagner; Sebastiaan Y. Haffert; Jared R. Males; Ilya Ilyin; Matthew A. Kenworthy; Jialin Li; Joseph D. Long; Steve Ertel; Christian Ginski; Alycia J. Weinberger; Kate Follette; Joshua Liberman; Katie Twitchell; Parker Johnson; Jay Kueny; Daniel Apai; Rene Doyon; Warren Foster; Victor Gasho; Kyle Van Gorkom; Olivier Guyon; Maggie Y. Kautz; Avalon McLeod; Eden McEwen; Logan Pearce; Lauren Schatz; Alexander D. Hedglen; Ya-Lin Wu; Jacob Isbell; Jenny Power; Jared Carlson; Emmeline Close; Elena Tonucci; Matthijs Mars

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/adf7a5

Wide Separation Planets in Time (WISPIT): Discovery of a Gap Hα Protoplanet WISPIT 2b with MagAO-X

Laird M. Close
, Richelle F. van Capelleveen
, Gabriel Weible
, Kevin Wagner
, Sebastiaan Y. Haffert
, Jared R. Males
, Ilya Ilyin
, Matthew A. Kenworthy
, Jialin Li
, Joseph D. Long
, Steve Ertel
, Christian Ginski
, Alycia J. Weinberger
, Kate Follette
, Joshua Liberman
, Katie Twitchell
, Parker Johnson
, Jay Kueny
, Daniel Apai
, Rene Doyon

Warren Foster, Victor Gasho, Kyle Van Gorkom, Olivier Guyon, Maggie Y. Kautz, Avalon McLeod, Eden McEwen, Logan Pearce, Lauren Schatz, Alexander D. Hedglen, Ya-Lin Wu, Jacob Isbell, Jenny Power, Jared Carlson, Emmeline Close, Elena Tonucci, Matthijs Mars

Physics

Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Abstract Excellent (<25 mas) Hα images of the star TYC 5709-354-1 led to the discovery of a rare Hα protoplanet. This star was discovered by the WISPIT survey to have a large multi-ring transitional disk, and is hereafter WISPIT 2. Our Hα images of 2025 April 13 and 16 discovered an accreting (Hα in emission) protoplanet: WISPIT 2b (r = 309.43 ± 1.56 mas; (∼54 au deprojected), PA = 242 . ° 21 ± 0 . ° 41) likely clearing a dust-free gap between the two brightest dust rings in the transitional disk. Our signal-to-noise ratio of 12.5 detection gave an Hα ASDI contrast of (6.5 ± 0.5) × 10−4 and an Hα line flux of (1.29 ± 0.28) × 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2. We also present L′ photometry from LBT/LMIRcam of the planet (L′ = 15.30 ± 0.05 mag), which, when coupled with an age of 5 . 1 − 1 . 3 + 2 . 4 Myr, yields a planet mass estimate of 5.3 ± 1.0 M jup from the DUSTY evolutionary models. WISPIT 2b is accreting at 2 . 25 − 0 . 17 + 3 . 75 × 10−12 M Sun yr−1. WISPIT 2b is very similar to the other Hα protoplanets in terms of mass, age, flux, and accretion rate.

Original language	English
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adf7a5
Publication status	Published - 1 Sep 2025

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Close, L. M., van Capelleveen, R. F., Weible, G., Wagner, K., Haffert, S. Y., Males, J. R., Ilyin, I., Kenworthy, M. A., Li, J., Long, J. D., Ertel, S., Ginski, C., Weinberger, A. J., Follette, K., Liberman, J., Twitchell, K., Johnson, P., Kueny, J., Apai, D., ... Mars, M. (2025). Wide Separation Planets in Time (WISPIT): Discovery of a Gap Hα Protoplanet WISPIT 2b with MagAO-X. Astrophysical Journal Letters. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adf7a5

@article{a3aa1b6b565740168ec3df4aebcbbe4f,

title = "Wide Separation Planets in Time (WISPIT): Discovery of a Gap Hα Protoplanet WISPIT 2b with MagAO-X",

abstract = "Abstract Excellent (<25 mas) Hα images of the star TYC 5709-354-1 led to the discovery of a rare Hα protoplanet. This star was discovered by the WISPIT survey to have a large multi-ring transitional disk, and is hereafter WISPIT 2. Our Hα images of 2025 April 13 and 16 discovered an accreting (Hα in emission) protoplanet: WISPIT 2b (r = 309.43 ± 1.56 mas; (∼54 au deprojected), PA = 242 . ° 21 ± 0 . ° 41) likely clearing a dust-free gap between the two brightest dust rings in the transitional disk. Our signal-to-noise ratio of 12.5 detection gave an Hα ASDI contrast of (6.5 ± 0.5) × 10−4 and an Hα line flux of (1.29 ± 0.28) × 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2. We also present L′ photometry from LBT/LMIRcam of the planet (L′ = 15.30 ± 0.05 mag), which, when coupled with an age of 5 . 1 − 1 . 3 + 2 . 4 Myr, yields a planet mass estimate of 5.3 ± 1.0 M jup from the DUSTY evolutionary models. WISPIT 2b is accreting at 2 . 25 − 0 . 17 + 3 . 75 × 10−12 M Sun yr−1. WISPIT 2b is very similar to the other Hα protoplanets in terms of mass, age, flux, and accretion rate. ",

author = "Close, \{Laird M.\} and \{van Capelleveen\}, \{Richelle F.\} and Gabriel Weible and Kevin Wagner and Haffert, \{Sebastiaan Y.\} and Males, \{Jared R.\} and Ilya Ilyin and Kenworthy, \{Matthew A.\} and Jialin Li and Long, \{Joseph D.\} and Steve Ertel and Christian Ginski and Weinberger, \{Alycia J.\} and Kate Follette and Joshua Liberman and Katie Twitchell and Parker Johnson and Jay Kueny and Daniel Apai and Rene Doyon and Warren Foster and Victor Gasho and Gorkom, \{Kyle Van\} and Olivier Guyon and Kautz, \{Maggie Y.\} and Avalon McLeod and Eden McEwen and Logan Pearce and Lauren Schatz and Hedglen, \{Alexander D.\} and Ya-Lin Wu and Jacob Isbell and Jenny Power and Jared Carlson and Emmeline Close and Elena Tonucci and Matthijs Mars",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/adf7a5",

language = "English",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

}

Close, LM, van Capelleveen, RF, Weible, G, Wagner, K, Haffert, SY, Males, JR, Ilyin, I, Kenworthy, MA, Li, J, Long, JD, Ertel, S, Ginski, C, Weinberger, AJ, Follette, K, Liberman, J, Twitchell, K, Johnson, P, Kueny, J, Apai, D, Doyon, R, Foster, W, Gasho, V, Gorkom, KV, Guyon, O, Kautz, MY, McLeod, A, McEwen, E, Pearce, L, Schatz, L, Hedglen, AD, Wu, Y-L, Isbell, J, Power, J, Carlson, J, Close, E, Tonucci, E & Mars, M 2025, 'Wide Separation Planets in Time (WISPIT): Discovery of a Gap Hα Protoplanet WISPIT 2b with MagAO-X', Astrophysical Journal Letters. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adf7a5

TY - JOUR

T1 - Wide Separation Planets in Time (WISPIT): Discovery of a Gap Hα Protoplanet WISPIT 2b with MagAO-X

AU - Close, Laird M.

AU - van Capelleveen, Richelle F.

AU - Weible, Gabriel

AU - Wagner, Kevin

AU - Haffert, Sebastiaan Y.

AU - Males, Jared R.

AU - Ilyin, Ilya

AU - Kenworthy, Matthew A.

AU - Li, Jialin

AU - Long, Joseph D.

AU - Ertel, Steve

AU - Ginski, Christian

AU - Weinberger, Alycia J.

AU - Follette, Kate

AU - Liberman, Joshua

AU - Twitchell, Katie

AU - Johnson, Parker

AU - Kueny, Jay

AU - Apai, Daniel

AU - Doyon, Rene

AU - Foster, Warren

AU - Gasho, Victor

AU - Gorkom, Kyle Van

AU - Guyon, Olivier

AU - Kautz, Maggie Y.

AU - McLeod, Avalon

AU - McEwen, Eden

AU - Pearce, Logan

AU - Schatz, Lauren

AU - Hedglen, Alexander D.

AU - Wu, Ya-Lin

AU - Isbell, Jacob

AU - Power, Jenny

AU - Carlson, Jared

AU - Close, Emmeline

AU - Tonucci, Elena

AU - Mars, Matthijs

PY - 2025/9/1

Y1 - 2025/9/1

N2 - Abstract Excellent (<25 mas) Hα images of the star TYC 5709-354-1 led to the discovery of a rare Hα protoplanet. This star was discovered by the WISPIT survey to have a large multi-ring transitional disk, and is hereafter WISPIT 2. Our Hα images of 2025 April 13 and 16 discovered an accreting (Hα in emission) protoplanet: WISPIT 2b (r = 309.43 ± 1.56 mas; (∼54 au deprojected), PA = 242 . ° 21 ± 0 . ° 41) likely clearing a dust-free gap between the two brightest dust rings in the transitional disk. Our signal-to-noise ratio of 12.5 detection gave an Hα ASDI contrast of (6.5 ± 0.5) × 10−4 and an Hα line flux of (1.29 ± 0.28) × 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2. We also present L′ photometry from LBT/LMIRcam of the planet (L′ = 15.30 ± 0.05 mag), which, when coupled with an age of 5 . 1 − 1 . 3 + 2 . 4 Myr, yields a planet mass estimate of 5.3 ± 1.0 M jup from the DUSTY evolutionary models. WISPIT 2b is accreting at 2 . 25 − 0 . 17 + 3 . 75 × 10−12 M Sun yr−1. WISPIT 2b is very similar to the other Hα protoplanets in terms of mass, age, flux, and accretion rate.

AB - Abstract Excellent (<25 mas) Hα images of the star TYC 5709-354-1 led to the discovery of a rare Hα protoplanet. This star was discovered by the WISPIT survey to have a large multi-ring transitional disk, and is hereafter WISPIT 2. Our Hα images of 2025 April 13 and 16 discovered an accreting (Hα in emission) protoplanet: WISPIT 2b (r = 309.43 ± 1.56 mas; (∼54 au deprojected), PA = 242 . ° 21 ± 0 . ° 41) likely clearing a dust-free gap between the two brightest dust rings in the transitional disk. Our signal-to-noise ratio of 12.5 detection gave an Hα ASDI contrast of (6.5 ± 0.5) × 10−4 and an Hα line flux of (1.29 ± 0.28) × 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2. We also present L′ photometry from LBT/LMIRcam of the planet (L′ = 15.30 ± 0.05 mag), which, when coupled with an age of 5 . 1 − 1 . 3 + 2 . 4 Myr, yields a planet mass estimate of 5.3 ± 1.0 M jup from the DUSTY evolutionary models. WISPIT 2b is accreting at 2 . 25 − 0 . 17 + 3 . 75 × 10−12 M Sun yr−1. WISPIT 2b is very similar to the other Hα protoplanets in terms of mass, age, flux, and accretion rate.

UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adf7a5

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/adf7a5

DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/adf7a5

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-8205

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

ER -

Wide Separation Planets in Time (WISPIT): Discovery of a Gap H<i>α</i> Protoplanet WISPIT 2b with MagAO-X

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