SONG and exoplanets: the discovery and characterization of MASCARA-3b
Maria Hjorth, Anders Bo Justesen & Simon Albrecht

Abstract

Despite the growing number of new planets detected, we only know a handful of planets which transits stars that are both bright and early-type. This is hoped to be remedied by the ongoing MASCARA survey (The Multi-site All-Sky CAmeRA) and with the recent launch of TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite). The goal of MASCARA is to detect transiting gas giants orbiting bright stars. The systems are characterized and confirmed via transit spectroscopy and RVs using the SONG telescopes. This has already lead to the confirmation of the MASCARA-1b and MASCARA-2b planets. The transit observations of the Hertzsprung node have also determined the spin-orbit angle of the systems: While MASCARA-2b travels on an aligned orbit, MASCARA-1b has an oblique orbit. Here I present the newest discovery - MASCARA-3b - an exoplanet orbiting an 8th magnitude star, for which we have determined the precise planetary mass and obliquity. These discoveries show that SONG is well-suited to confirm and characterize many interesting TESS planet candidates.