The Messenger 114
December 2003

Setting New Standards with HARPS

M. Mayor [1], F. Pepe [1], D. Queloz [1], F. Bouchy [2], G. Rupprecht [3], G. Lo Curto [4], G. Avila [3], W. Benz [5], J.-L. Bertaux [6], X. Bonfils [1], Th. Dall [4], H. Dekker [3], B. Delabre [3], W. Eckert [4], M. Fleury [1], A. Gilliotte [4], D. Gojak [3], J.C. Guzman [4], D. Kohler7, J.-L. Lizon [3], A. Longinotti [3], C. Lovis [1], D. Megevand [1], L. Pasquini [3], J. Reyes [3], J.-P. Sivan7, D.Sosnowska [1], R. Soto [4], S. Udry [1], A. Van Kesteren [3], L. Weber [1], & U. Weilenmann [4]

[1] Observatoire de Geneve, Switzerland; [2] Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, France; [3] ESO Garching; [4] ESO La Silla; [5] Physikalisches Institut der Universität Bern, Switzerland; [6] Service d'Aeronomie, Verrieres le Buisson, France; [7] Observatoire de Haute-Provence, France

Abstract By October 1st, 2003, ESO's new and unique planet-hunting machine HARPS (High-Accuracy Radial velocity Planetary Searcher) has become operational. The measurements made during the commissioning phase and the first weeks of operation are of outstanding quality. In this article we report among other examples on the first extra-solar planet discovered with HARPS and on the detection of tiny stellar oscillations. The results presented demonstrate that HARPS is currently the most precise Doppler-measurements machine in the world. With this acquisition ESO places itself at the head of a scientific domain, whose interest has continued to grow during the past years.

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The Messenger 114December 2003

Setting New Standards with HARPS

The Messenger 114
December 2003