HD 111232 b
HD 111232 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 111232 in the constellation Musca. It lies about 94 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2003 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 111232 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 111232 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 111232 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 111232 b — one full orbit around HD 111232 — lasts 1,169.1 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 2.148 AU. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.21).
How Was HD 111232 b Discovered?
HD 111232 b was discovered in 2003 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 HD 111232 b?
HD 111232 b is 94.4 light-years (29.0 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1932. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,661,440 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 111232 b scores 0.20, ranking #3,841 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 111232
HD 111232
- Mass
- 0.96 M☉
The HD 111232 Planetary System
HD 111232 b is one of 2 known planets in the HD 111232 system. Its siblings:
HD 111232 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 2,531.50 Earth masses (7.965 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 1,169.13 days |
| Orbital distance | 2.148 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.214 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.20 |
| Distance from Earth | 94.4 light-years (29.0 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Musca |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2003 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-12. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 111232 b
Is HD 111232 b habitable?
HD 111232 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 111232, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 111232 b?
HD 111232 b is about 94 light-years from Earth in the constellation Musca. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,661,440 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 111232 b?
One orbit around HD 111232 takes 1,169.1 Earth days.
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