Fomalhaut system
As no team could detect the Fomalhaut b object in the near infrared after Kalas et al. (2008) discovered it in visible, some researchers doubted the object was real. I reduced the HST data that Kalas et al used.
I and my co-authors confirmed Fomalhaut b is real and is not an artifact. Moreover, we detected the object in images taken in all the ACS filters (F435W, F606W, F814W) and in CLEAR STIS filter.
We did not confirmed the photometry variation at F606W as announced by Kalas et al.
Also, we noticed that
the source may be extended in the images although more data are needed to confirm this result.
We conclude that Fomalhaut b photometry is consistent with
a cloud of dust produced by a collision of two KBOs with radius 50km that would have occurred 50 150yr ago or with
a 2 Earth mass to 1 Jupiter mass planet surrounded by a swarm of satellites that lies at 0.15-0.5 Hill radii.
ApJL paper. (Click on figures to enlarge)
Images of the Fomalhaut system in 2004 in the F606W ACS/HST filter, in 2006 in the F435W, F606W, and F814W ACS/HST filters, and in 2010 in the CLEAR STIS/HST fitler. Fomalhaut b is inside the circle. Arrows point towards background sources.