Coronagraphic observations of Fomalhaut at solar system scales

M. A. Kenworthy, T. Meshkat, S. P. Quanz, J. H. Girard, M. R. Meyer, M. Kasper

Published 2012-12-06Version 1

We report on a search for low mass companions within 10 AU of the star Fomalhaut, using narrow band observations at 4.05 microns obtained with the Apodizing Phase Plate (APP) coronagraph on the VLT/NaCo. Our observations place a model dependent upper mass limit of 12-20 Jupiter masses from 4 to 10 AU, covering the semi-major axis search space between interferometric imaging measurements and other direct imaging non-detections. These observations rule out models where the large semi-major axis for the putative candidate companion Fomalhaut b is explained by dynamical scattering from a more massive companion in the inner stellar system, where such giant planets are thought to form.