GJ 504 b
GJ 504 b is a cold gas giant orbiting the G0 V star GJ 504 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 57 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2013 using the imaging method.
Is GJ 504 b in the Habitable Zone?
GJ 504 b orbits beyond the outer edge of the habitable zone of GJ 504. At that distance, any surface water would almost certainly be frozen.
Habitable zone of GJ 504: 1.070–2.494 AU (conservative: 1.355–2.365 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on GJ 504 b
The equilibrium temperature of GJ 504 b is about 510 K (237 °C) — hotter than anywhere on Earth. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C.
Orbit and Year Length
GJ 504 b orbits at an average distance of 43.500 AU.
How Was GJ 504 b Discovered?
GJ 504 b was discovered in 2013 using the imaging method, with observations from Subaru Telescope.
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 GJ 504 b?
GJ 504 b is 57.2 light-years (17.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1969. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,006,720 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. GJ 504 b scores 0.07, ranking #4,942 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: GJ 504
GJ 504
- Spectral type
- G0 V
- Surface temperature
- 6,234 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.22 M☉
- Luminosity
- 2.1478 L☉
- Age
- 0.2 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
GJ 504 b is the only planet known to orbit GJ 504 so far.
GJ 504 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 1,271.30 Earth masses (4.000 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital distance | 43.500 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 510 K (237 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 57.2 light-years (17.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Discovery method | Imaging |
| Discovery facility | Subaru Telescope |
| Discovery year | 2013 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About GJ 504 b
Is GJ 504 b habitable?
No — GJ 504 b orbits outside the habitable zone of GJ 504 and is likely too cold for liquid water on its surface.
How far away is GJ 504 b?
GJ 504 b is about 57 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,006,720 years to get there.
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