A search for starlight reflected from HD 75289b

We have used a Doppler tomographic analysis to conduct a deep search for the starlight reflected from the planetary companion to HD 75289. In four nights on VLT(UT2)/UVES in 2003 January, we obtained 684 high-resolution echelle spectra with a total integration time of 26 h. We establish an upper limit on the geometric albedo of the planet p < 0.12 (to the 99.9 per cent significance level) at the most probable orbital inclination i similar or equal to 60 degrees, assuming a grey albedo, a Venus-like phase function and a planetary radius R-p = 1.6 R-Jup. We are able to rule out some combinations of the predicted planetary radius and atmospheric albedo models with high, reflective cloud decks.