Notes for PSR 1257+12

by Jean Schneider

update: 31 October 2002

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The planet(s):

• Detection method: Timing
• Remarks;
  - 31 Oct. 2002: Possible comet around the pulsar PSR1257+12 (courtesy Daniel Fischer)
  - The innermost `planet' claimed to be an artefact due to solar wind (Schere et al. 1997)
  - A possible fourth, Saturn-like, planet at ~ 40 UA (Joshi & Rasio 1996, Wolszczan 1996)
  - 8 May 2000: Planet A cannot be due to a heliospheric propagation effect (Wolszczan et al., 2000)
• References:
  1. BISNOVATYI-KOGAN G., 1993
     Planetary system around the pulsar PSR 1257+12
     Astron. Astrophys., 275, 161
     ADS full paper
  2. CHAKRABARTI S. & KRISHNA-SWAMY K., 1992
     Is there a comet cloud around PSR 1257+12?
     Astronomy & Astrophysics, 263, L1
  3. GIL A., JESSNER A. & KRAMER M., 1993
     Are there really planets around PSR 1257+12?
     Astonomy & Astrophysics, 271, L17
  4. GREAVES J. & HOLLAND W., 1997
     Planets around pulsars - a rare phenomenon?
     BAAS 29, #111.18
     abstract
  5. HAMILTON D. & MILLER M., 2001
     Planet Formation Around Pulsars.
     BAAS, 34, #13.14
     paper
  6. JOSHI K. & RASIO F., 1997
     Distant Companions and Planets around Millisecond Pulsars
     ApJ., 479948
     paper
  7. KONACKI M., MACIEJEWCKI A. & WOLSZCZAN A., 2000
     Improved timing formula for the PSR B1257+12 planetary system.
     ApJ, 544, 921
     paper
  8. KONACKI M., MACIEJEWCKI A. & WOLSZCZAN A. 1998
     Resonance in PSR B1257+12 Planetary System
     ApJ. 513, 471
     paper
  9. MALHOTRA R, 1993b
     Three-body effects in the PSR 1257+12 planetary system
     ApJ., 407, 266
     abstract
  10. MALHOTRA R., 1993a
      Orbital dynamics of PSR1257+12 and its two planetary companions
      Planets around pulsars; Proceedings of the Conference, R.Phillips Ed., ASP Series, p. 89
      abstract
  11. T. MAZEH and I. GOLDMAN, 1995
      Similarities between the Inner Solar System and the Planetary System of PSR B1257+12
      PASP, 107, 250
      (abstract).
  12. MILLER C. & HAMILTON D., 2001
      Implications of the PSR 1257+12 Planetary System for Isolated Millisecond Pulsars.
      ApJ., 550, 863
      paper
  13. NUNES N. & BARTEL N., 1997
      VLBI Astrometry of the Planetary-System Millisecond Pulsar B1257+12
      in 189^th AAS Meeting, Totonto, Junuary 1997
      abstract
  14. PEALE S. J., 1994
      On the detection of mutual perturbations as proof of planets around PSR1257+12
      Astrophys. and Spa. Sci, 212, 77
      abstract
  15. PEALE S., 1993
      On the verification of the planetary system around PSR 1257+12
      Astron. J., 105, 1562
      abstract
  16. RASIO F., NICHOLSON P., SHAPIRO S., & TEUKOLSKY S., 1992
      An Observational Test for the Existence of a Planetary System orbiting PSR 1257+12.
      Nature, 355, 325
  17. SCHERER K., FICHTNER H., ANDERSON J. & LAU E., 1997
      A Pulsar, the Heliosphere, and Pioneer 10: Probable Mimicking of a Planet of PSRB1257+12 by Solar Rotation.
      Science, 278, 1919
      abstract and paper
      See also Apnet News.
  18. TAVANI M. & BROOKSHAW L., 1992
      The Origins of Planets Orbiting Pulsars
      Nature, 356, 320
      abstract
  19. WOLSZCZAN A., 1996a
      Further Observations of the Planets Pulsar
      in Pulsars: Problems and Progress,
      eds. M. Bailes, S. Johnston, & M. Walker
      (IAU Colloquium 160, Astronomical Soc. of the Pacific, Conf. Series), p. 91.
      
  20. WOLSZCZAN A., 1996b
      Further Observations of the Planets Pulsar
      in Planets Beyond the Solar System and the Next Generation of Space Missions (Baltimore 16 - 18 Oct. 1996)
      abstract
  21. WOLSZCZAN A., 1995
      The pulsar planets update
      Astrophys. & Space Sci., 223, 205
  22. WOLSZCZAN A., 1994
      Toward planets around neutron stars
      Astrophys. & Space Sci., 212, 67
      abstract
  23. WOLSZCZAN A., 1994
      Confirmation of Earth-Mass Planets Orbiting the Millisecond Pulsar PSR B1257+12
      Science, 264, 538
  24. WOLSZCZAN A. & FRAIL D., 1992
      A Planetary System around the Millisecond Pulsar PSR1257+12
      Nature, 255, 145
  25. WOLSZCZAN A., HOFFMAN I., KONACKI M., ANDERSON S. & XILOURIS K., 2000
      A 25.3 day Periodicity in the Timing of the Pulsar PSR B 1257+12: a Planet or a Heliospheric Propagation Effect?
      Science, to be submitted
      preprint, with Fig1, Fig2 and Fig3

• Other Web pages:
  1. Pulsar Planets (A. Wolszcan)
  2. Planets, Pulsars and Genetics (J. Cordes & J. Lazio, Cornell)
  3. Chart of Planets Around Pulsar B1257 +12

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The star:

• Distance: 300 pc
  This value for the distance is deduced from the DM = 10.186 (Wolszczan 1994), assuming an electron density in ISM of 30 per litre

• Coordinates (2000):RA = 13 00 01, DEC = +12 40.0

• More data:
  • Basic Data (from the Princeton Pulsar Group; enter `1257+12' in the `pulsar catalog information' field)
  • Most recent refs. (from ADS; enter `PSR 1257+12' in the `objects' field)

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