Two massive rocky planets transiting a K-dwarf 6.5 parsecs away

Abstract

HD 219134 is a K-dwarf star at a distance of 6.5 parsecs around which several low-mass planets were recently discovered<SUP>1,2</SUP>. The Spitzer Space Telescope detected a transit of the innermost of these planets, HD 219134 b, whose mass and radius (4.5 M<SUB>⊕</SUB> and 1.6 R<SUB>⊕</SUB> respectively) are consistent with a rocky composition<SUP>1</SUP>. Here, we report new high-precision time-series photometry of the star acquired with Spitzer revealing that the second innermost planet of the system, HD 219134c, is also transiting. A global analysis of the Spitzer transit light curves and the most up-to-date HARPS-N velocity data set yields mass and radius estimations of 4.74 ± 0.19 M<SUB>⊕</SUB> and 1.602 ± 0.055 R<SUB>⊕</SUB> for HD 219134 b, and of 4.36 ± 0.22 M<SUB>⊕</SUB> and 1.511 ± 0.047 R<SUB>⊕</SUB> for HD 219134 c. These values suggest rocky compositions for both planets. Thanks to the proximity and the small size of their host star (0.778 ± 0.005 R<SUB>☉</SUB>)<SUP>3</SUP>, these two transiting exoplanets — the nearest to the Earth yet found — are well suited for a detailed characterization (for example, precision of a few per cent on mass and radius, and constraints on the atmospheric properties) that could give important constraints on the nature and formation mechanism of the ubiquitous short-period planets of a few Earth masses.