How many suns are in the sky? A SPHERE multiplicity survey of exoplanet host stars

I. Four new close stellar companions including a white dwarf ^★

¹ Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
e-mail: c.ginski@uva.nl
² Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, PO Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
³ Astrophysikalisches Institutund Universitäts-Sternwarte Jena, Schillergässchen 2, 07745 Jena, Germany
⁴ Instituto de Física y Astronomía, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1111, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
⁵ Núcleo Milenio Formación Planetaria – NPF, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1111, Valparaíso, Chile
⁶ European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Casilla 19001, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile

Received: 17 July 2020
Accepted: 19 September 2020

Abstract

Aims. We are studying the influence of stellar multiplicity on exoplanet systems and, in particular, systems that have been detected via radial-velocity searches. We are specifically interested in the closest companions as they would have a strong influence on the evolution of the original planet-forming disks. In this study, we present new companions that have been detected during our ongoing survey of exoplanet hosts with VLT/SPHERE (Spectro-Polarimetric High-Contrast Exoplanet Research).

Methods. We are using the extreme adaptive optics imager SPHERE at the ESO/VLT to search for faint (sub)stellar companions. We utilized the classical coronagraphic imaging mode to perform a snapshot survey (3–6 min integration time) of exoplanet host stars in the K_s-band.

Results. We detected new stellar companions to the exoplanet host stars HD 1666, HIP 68468, HIP 107773, and HD 109271. With an angular separation of only 0.38′′ (40 au of projected separation), HIP 107773 is among the closest companions found for exoplanet host stars. The presence of the stellar companion explains the linear radial-velocity trend seen in the system. At such a small separation, the companion likely had a significant influence on the evolution of the planet-forming disk around the primary star. We find that the companion in the HD 1666 system may well be responsible for the high orbit eccentricity (0.63) of the detected Jupiter class planet, making this system one of only a few where such a connection can be established. A cross-match with the Gaia DR2 catalog shows, furthermore, that the near infrared faint companion around HD 109271 was detected in the optical and it is significantly brighter than in the near infrared, making it a white dwarf companion.