Binarity of transit host stars ^*

Implications for planetary parameters

¹ Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany e-mail: daemgen@mpia-hd.mpg.de
² University of Toronto, Department of Astronomy, St. George Street 50, M5S 3H4 Toronto, ON, Canada

Received: 19 September 2008
Accepted: 29 January 2009

Abstract

Context. Straight-forward derivation of planetary parameters can only be achieved in transiting planetary systems. However, planetary attributes such as radius and mass strongly depend on stellar host parameters. Discovering a transit host star to be multiple leads to a necessary revision of the derived stellar and planetary parameters.

Aims. Based on our observations of 14 transiting exoplanet hosts, we derive parameters of the individual components of three transit host stars (WASP-2, TrES-2, and TrES-4) which we detected to be binaries. Two of these have not been known to be multiple before. Parameters of the corresponding exoplanets are revised.

Methods. High-resolution “Lucky Imaging” with AstraLux at the 2.2 m Calar Alto telescope provided near diffraction limited images in i' and z' passbands. These results have been combined with existing planetary data in order to recalibrate planetary attributes.

Results. Despite the faintness (Δmag ~ 4) of the discovered stellar companions to TrES-2, TrES-4, and WASP-2, light-curve deduced parameters change by up to more than 1σ. We discuss a possible relation between binary separation and planetary properties, which – if confirmed – could hint at the influence of binarity on the planet formation process.