HD 105618 b
HD 105618 b is a Neptune-like planet orbiting HD 105618 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 229 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2022 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 105618 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 105618 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 105618 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 105618 b — one full orbit around HD 105618 — lasts 10.0 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.091 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.46), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 105618 b Discovered?
HD 105618 b was discovered in 2022 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Multiple Observatories.
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 HD 105618 b?
HD 105618 b is 228.6 light-years (70.1 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1798. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 4,023,360 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. HD 105618 b scores 0.15, ranking #4,226 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 105618
HD 105618
- Mass
- 1.01 M☉
The HD 105618 Planetary System
HD 105618 b is one of 2 known planets in the HD 105618 system. Its siblings:
HD 105618 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 25.43 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 10.02 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.091 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.455 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.15 |
| Distance from Earth | 228.6 light-years (70.1 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2022 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 105618 b
Is HD 105618 b habitable?
HD 105618 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 105618, and as a Neptune-like planet it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 105618 b?
HD 105618 b is about 229 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 4,023,360 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 105618 b?
One orbit around HD 105618 takes 10.0 Earth days — short enough that 36 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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