b Cen AB b
b Cen AB b is a cold gas giant orbiting the B2.5 V star b Cen A in the constellation Centaurus. It lies about 320 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2021 using the imaging method.
Is b Cen AB b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of b Cen AB b relative to the habitable zone of b Cen A cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on b Cen AB b — one full orbit around b Cen A — lasts 1,790,000.0 Earth days, longer than Jupiter's 12-year orbit. It orbits at an average distance of 556.000 AU. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.40), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was b Cen AB b Discovered?
b Cen AB b was discovered in 2021 using the imaging method, with observations from Paranal Observatory.
Direct imaging captures actual pictures of a planet by blocking out the overwhelming glare of its host star. It works best for young, hot, massive planets on wide orbits.
How Far Away Is b Cen AB b?
b Cen AB b is 319.9 light-years (98.1 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1707. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 5,630,240 years to make the journey.
The Host Star: b Cen A
b Cen AB b is a circumbinary planet — it orbits around two stars at once, like Tatooine in Star Wars.
b Cen A
- Spectral type
- B2.5 V
- Mass
- 5.50 M☉
- Age
- 0.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
b Cen AB b is the only planet known to orbit b Cen A so far.
b Cen AB b — Complete Data
| Mass | 3,464.33 Earth masses (10.900 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 1,790,000.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 556.000 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.400 |
| Distance from Earth | 319.9 light-years (98.1 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Discovery method | Imaging |
| Discovery facility | Paranal Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2021 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2022-01-24. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About b Cen AB b
Is b Cen AB b habitable?
b Cen AB b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of b Cen A, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is b Cen AB b?
b Cen AB b is about 320 light-years from Earth in the constellation Centaurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 5,630,240 years to get there.
How long is a year on b Cen AB b?
One orbit around b Cen A takes 1,790,000.0 Earth days.
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