H-Band Image of a Planetary Companion Around HR 8799 in 2002

The discovery of three planetary companions around HR 8799 marked a significant epoch in direct imaging of extrasolar planets. Given the importance of this system, we re-analyzed H-band images of HR 8799 obtained with the Subaru 36-elements adaptive optics (AO) in 2002 July. The low-order AO imaging combined with the classical point-spread function (PSF) subtractions even revealed the extrasolar planet, HR 8799b. Our observations in 2002 confirmed that it has been orbiting HR 8799 in a counterclockwise direction. The flux of HR 8799b was consistent with those in the later epochs within the uncertainty of 0.25 mag, further supporting the planetary mass estimate by Marois et al.

Based on data collected at the Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.