The Pan-Pacific Planet Search. IV. Two super-Jupiters in a 3:5 resonance orbiting the giant star HD 33844

Abstract

We report the discovery of two giant planets orbiting the K giant HD 33844 based on radial velocity data from three independent campaigns. The planets move on nearly circular orbits with semimajor axes a(b) = 1.60 +/- 0.02 AU and a(c) = 2.24 +/- 0.05 AU, and have minimum masses (m sin i) of M-b = 1.96 +/- 0.12 M-Jup and M-c = 1.76 +/- 0.18 M-Jup. Detailed N- body dynamical simulations show that the two planets have remained on stable orbits for more than 10(6) years for low eccentricities and are most likely trapped in a mutual 3:5 mean motion resonance.