Three Thousand Motion-Confirmed L and T Dwarf Candidates from the Backyard Worlds:~Planet 9 Citizen Science Project

Authors:
  • ASAdam C. Schneider
    Adam C. Schneider
  • MKMarc J. Kuchner
    Marc J. Kuchner
  • JFJacqueline K. Faherty
    Jacqueline K. Faherty
  • AMAaron M. Meisner
    Aaron M. Meisner
  • JKJ. Davy Kirkpatrick
    J. Davy Kirkpatrick
  • ABAdam J. Burgasser
    Adam J. Burgasser
  • DGDaniella Bardalez Gagliuffi
    Daniella Bardalez Gagliuffi
  • TBThomas P. Bickle
    Thomas P. Bickle
  • DCDan Caselden
    Dan Caselden
  • SCSarah L. Casewell
    Sarah L. Casewell
  • JGJonathan Gagné
    Jonathan Gagné
  • EHEaston J. Honaker
    Easton J. Honaker
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Abstract
The Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project uses data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer to detect infrared objects with significant motion. In this work, we present the majority of the L and T dwarf candidates discovered through this effort. For each candidate, we provide proper motion measurements as well as optical, near-infrared, and mid-infrared photometry (when available), photometric spectral types and distance estimates. Three thousand and six new motion-confirmed discoveries are presented in this work, 2,357 with L-type photometric spectral types and 649 with T-type photometric spectral types. We also present an additional 80 objects as likely L or T dwarfs based on available photometry, but for which a significant motion measurement could not be obtained. We identify 28 objects in this sample as new comoving companions to higher-mass stars, and an additional 9 sources that are candidate binary systems made up of two ultracool dwarfs of L-type or later. Follow-up spectroscopic observations will be necessary to confirm spectral types and further characterize the sources discovered through this project. This work presents the largest single sample of motion-confirmed L and T dwarf discoveries to date, which would more than double the number of known L and T dwarfs, if confirmed. We wish to sincerely thank our citizen scientist collaborators for their monumental efforts that have directly impacted this project's success.
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