Hubble Space Telescope time-series photometry of the transiting planet of HD 209458

We have observed four transits of the planet of HD 209458 using the STIS sp ectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Summing the recorded counts over wavelength between 582 and 638 nm yields a photometric time series wi th 80 s time sampling and relative precision of about 1.1 x 10(-4) per samp le. The folded light curve can be fitted within observational errors using a model consisting of an opaque circular planet transiting a limb-darkened stellar disk. In this way we estimate the planetary radius R-p = 1.347 +/- 0.060 R-Jup, the orbital inclination i = 86.degrees6 +/- 0.degrees 14, the stellar radius R-* = 1.146 +/- 0.050 R., and one parameter describing the s tellar limb darkening. Our estimated radius is smaller than those from earl ier studies but is consistent within measurement errors and also with theor etical estimates of the radii of irradiated Jupiter-like planets. Satellite s or rings orbiting the planet would, if large enough, be apparent from dis tortions of the light curve or from irregularities in the transit timings. We find no evidence for either satellites or rings, with upper limits on sa tellite radius and mass of 1.2 R + and 3 M +, respectively. Opaque rings, i f present, must be smaller than 1.8 planetary radii in radial extent. The h igh level of photometric precision attained in this experiment confirms the feasibility of photometric detection of Earth-sized planets circling Sun-l ike stars.