V1298 Tauri has a spectral type of K0 - K1.5 and it has a mass of about 1.1 M☉. The star appears in x-rays from ROSAT data and it does show strong lithium absorption lines, both signatures of youth and therefore it was a proposed member of Taurus-Auriga. On the other hand it does not show signs of accretion and it lacks infrared excess. Instead it shows H-alpha in absorption.[3]
The brightness of V1298 Tauri varies in an unpredictable way between a maximum visual magnitude of 10.31 and a minimum of 10.54.[2] The light curve of the star shows quasi-periodic variability that was interpreted as stellar rotation and starspots. The light curve also showed several flares.[3]
Based on Gaia DR2 data this star is part of a co-moving pair, together with HD 284154.[6] The star is included in an analysis of the 93 Tau group, which finds an age of 35 ±5 Myrs.[8]
Planetary system
V1298 Tauri has four confirmed planets of which planets c, d and b are near a 1:2:3 resonance (with periods of 8.25, 12.40 and 24.14 days). Planet e only shows a single transit in the K2 light curve and has a period larger than 36 days. Planet e might be in a low-order resonance (of 2:3, 3:5, 1:2, or 1:3) with planet b. The system is very young and might be a precursor of a compact multiplanet system. The 2:3 resonance suggests that some close-in planets may either form in resonances or evolve into them on timescales of less than 10 Myr. The planets in the system have a size between Neptune and Saturn. Only planet b has a size similar to Jupiter.[5]
Models predict that the planets have a minimum core mass of 5 ME and are surrounded by a thick envelope that make up 20% of their mass. The total mass of planet c and d was predicted to be 2 - 28 ME and the total mass of planet d and b was predicted to be 9 - 120 ME.[5] In a follow-up paper the mass of V1298 Tauri b was constrained to <2.2 MJ.[9] The planet c was suspected to be shedding mass due to intense irradiation by the host star, but hydrogen tail existence was refuted by 2021.[10]
Orbits of the planets b and c are nearly coplanar and planet c is not inclined to the equatorial plane of the star, misalignment equals to 2+12 −4 degrees.[11]
Planet b was observed with Hubble WFC3 and a transmission spectrum was produced. This observation found a clear primordial atmosphere and water vapor absorption. The mass was constrained from this observation to less than 23 earth-masses, making this planet one of the lowest density planet observed. The team retrieved a low metallicity for the atmosphere, challenging formation mechanisms. The planet will likely evolve into a sub-Neptune in the future.[12] Comparison between the transmission spectrum of planet b and a newly obtained WFC3 transmission spectrum for planet c found that planet b has a large, haze-free envelope. For planet c hazes could not be ruled out. The masses were constrained for planet b to below 20 earth masses and for planet c to 17+13 −6 earth masses. An ongoing transit-timing variation study suggest that both planet b and c are in the mass range of super-Earth to sub-Neptune planets and will evolve into these types of planet.[13]
Planet e could be a planet with a water-rich core and an substantial hydrogen envelope.[14] Planet e was possibly detected by Kepler, TESS and CHEOPS in three transits with an orbital period of around 45 days. The transits have different depths, lengths and maybe has TTVs of a few hours. Alternatively CHEOPS could have detected a fifth planet.[15]
^ abcSamus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S. 1: B/gcvs. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
^Schlawin, Everett; Ilyin, Ilya; Feinstein, Adina D.; Bean, Jacob; Huang, Chenliang; Gao, Peter; Strassmeier, Klaus; Poppenhaeger, Katja (2021), "H-Alpha Variability of V1298 Tau c", Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society, 5 (8): 195, arXiv:2108.08851, Bibcode:2021RNAAS...5..195S, doi:10.3847/2515-5172/ac1f2f, S2CID237250293
^Gaidos, E.; Hirano, T.; Beichman, C.; Livingston, J.; Harakawa, H.; Hodapp, K. W.; Ishizuka, M.; Jacobson, S.; Konishi, M.; Kotani, T.; Kudo, T.; Kurokawa, T.; Kuzuhara, M.; Nishikawa, J.; Omiya, M.; Serizawa, T.; Tamura, M.; Ueda, A.; Vievard, S. (2022), "Zodiacal exoplanets in time – XIII. Planet orbits and atmospheres in the V1298 Tau system, a keystone in studies of early planetary evolution", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 509 (2): 2969–2978, arXiv:2110.10689, doi:10.1093/mnras/stab3107
^ abFeinstein, Adina D.; David, Trevor J.; Montet, Benjamin T.; Foreman-Mackey, Daniel; Livingston, John H.; Mann, Andrew W. (2022), "V1298 Tau with TESS: Updated Ephemerides, Radii, and Period Constraints from a Second Transit of V1298 Tau E", The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 925 (1): L2, arXiv:2111.08660, Bibcode:2022ApJ...925L...2F, doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac4745, S2CID244130016