BD-17 63 b
BD-17 63 b is a cold gas giant orbiting BD-17 63 in the constellation Cetus. It lies about 112 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2008 using the radial velocity method.
Is BD-17 63 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of BD-17 63 b relative to the habitable zone of BD-17 63 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on BD-17 63 b — one full orbit around BD-17 63 — lasts 655.6 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.54), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was BD-17 63 b Discovered?
BD-17 63 b was discovered in 2008 using the radial velocity method, with observations from La Silla Observatory.
The radial velocity method measures the subtle wobble of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet, visible as periodic shifts in the star's light spectrum. The size of the wobble reveals the planet's minimum mass.
How Far Away Is BD-17 63 b?
BD-17 63 b is 112.4 light-years (34.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1914. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,978,240 years to make the journey.
Earth Similarity Index
The Earth Similarity Index (ESI) scores how physically similar a planet is to Earth, from 0 to 1, based on radius, density, escape velocity and surface temperature. BD-17 63 b scores 0.19, ranking #3,947 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: BD-17 63
BD-17 63
- Mass
- 0.74 M☉
Planetary System
BD-17 63 b is the only planet known to orbit BD-17 63 so far.
BD-17 63 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 1,639.99 Earth masses (5.160 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 655.57 days |
| Eccentricity | 0.544 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.19 |
| Distance from Earth | 112.4 light-years (34.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2008 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2024-09-13. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About BD-17 63 b
Is BD-17 63 b habitable?
BD-17 63 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of BD-17 63, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is BD-17 63 b?
BD-17 63 b is about 112 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cetus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,978,240 years to get there.
How long is a year on BD-17 63 b?
One orbit around BD-17 63 takes 655.6 Earth days.
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