DP Leo b
DP Leo b is a cold gas giant orbiting DP Leo in the constellation Leo. It lies about 997 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the eclipse timing variations method.
Is DP Leo b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of DP Leo b relative to the habitable zone of DP Leo cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on DP Leo b — one full orbit around DP Leo — lasts 10,220.0 Earth days, longer than Jupiter's 12-year orbit. It orbits at an average distance of 8.190 AU. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.39), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was DP Leo b Discovered?
DP Leo b was discovered in 2009 using the eclipse timing variations method, with observations from Yunnan Astronomical Observatory.
Eclipse timing variations detect a planet orbiting an eclipsing pair of stars: the planet's gravity shifts the precise moments when the stars eclipse each other.
How Far Away Is DP Leo b?
DP Leo b is 997.0 light-years (305.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1029. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 17,547,200 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. DP Leo b scores 0.07, ranking #4,938 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: DP Leo
DP Leo b is a circumbinary planet — it orbits around two stars at once, like Tatooine in Star Wars.
DP Leo
- Mass
- 0.69 M☉
Planetary System
DP Leo b is the only planet known to orbit DP Leo so far.
DP Leo b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 1,922.79 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 10,220.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 8.190 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.390 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 997.0 light-years (305.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Leo |
| Discovery method | Eclipse Timing Variations |
| Discovery facility | Yunnan Astronomical Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2009 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About DP Leo b
Is DP Leo b habitable?
DP Leo b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of DP Leo, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is DP Leo b?
DP Leo b is about 997 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 17,547,200 years to get there.
How long is a year on DP Leo b?
One orbit around DP Leo takes 10,220.0 Earth days.
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