Kepler-6b: A Transiting Hot Jupiter Orbiting a Metal-rich Star

We announce the discovery of Kepler-6b, a transiting hot Jupiter orbiting a star with unusually high metallicity, {[Fe/H]}= +0.34+/- 0.04. The planet's mass is about 2/3 that of Jupiter, M _P = 0.67 M _J, and the radius is 30% larger than that of Jupiter, R _P = 1.32 R _J, resulting in a density of ρ_P = 0.35 g cm^-3, a fairly typical value for such a planet. The orbital period is P = 3.235 days. The host star is both more massive than the Sun, M _sstarf = 1.21 M _sun, and larger than the Sun, R _sstarf = 1.39 R _sun.

Based in part on observations obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated by the University of California and the California Institute of Technology.