Ten Low‐Mass Companions from the Keck Precision Velocity Survey

Ten new companions have emerged from the Keck precision Doppler velocity survey, with minimum ( M sin i ) masses ranging from 0.8 M JUP to 0.34 M ☉ . Five of these are planet candidates with M sin i < 12 M JUP , two are brown dwarf candidates with M sin i ~ 30 M JUP , and three are low-mass stellar companions. Hipparcos astrometry reveals the orbital inclinations and masses for three of the (more massive) companions, and it provides upper limits to the masses for the rest. A new class of extrasolar planet is emerging, characterized by nearly circular orbits and orbital radii greater than 1 AU. The planet HD 4208b appears to be a member of this new class. The mass distribution of extrasolar planets continues to exhibit a rapid rise from 10 M JUP toward the lowest detectable masses near 1 M SAT .