Description
We report the discovery of four relatively massive (2-7M_J_) transiting extrasolar planets. HAT-P-20b orbits the moderately bright V=11.339 K3 dwarf star GSC 1910-00239 on a circular orbit, with a period P=2.875317+/-0.000004 days. The planetary companion has a mass of 7.246+/-0.187M_J_ and a radius of 0.867+/-0.033R_J_ yielding a mean density of 13.78+/-1.50g/cm^3^. HAT-P-21b orbits the V=11.685 G3 dwarf star GSC 3013-01229 on an eccentric (e=0.228+/-0.016) orbit, with a period P=4.124481+/-0.000007 days. The planetary companion has a mass of 4.063+/-0.161M_J_ and a radius of 1.024+/-0.092R_J_ yielding a mean density of 4.68^+1.59^_-0.99_g/cm^3^. HAT-P-21b is a borderline object between the pM and pL class planets, and the transits occur near apastron. HAT-P-22b orbits the bright V=9.732 G5 dwarf star HD 233731 on a circular orbit, with a period P=3.212220+/-0.000009 days. The planet has a mass of 2.147+/-0.061M_J_ and a compact radius of 1.080+/-0.058R_J_ yielding a mean density of 2.11^+0.40^_-0.29_g/cm^3^. The host star also harbors an M-dwarf companion at a wide separation. Finally, HAT-P-23b orbits the V=12.432 G0 dwarf star GSC 1632-01396 on a close to circular orbit, with a period P=1.212884+/-0.000002 days. The planetary companion has a mass of 2.090+/-0.111M_J_ and a radius of 1.368+/-0.090R_J_ yielding a mean density of 1.01+/-0.18g/cm^3^. HAT-P-23b is an inflated and massive hot Jupiter on a very short period orbit, and has one of the shortest characteristic infall times (7.5^+2.9^_-1.8_Myr) before it gets engulfed by the star.
|