HD 124330 b
HD 124330 b is a cold gas giant orbiting the G4 IV star HD 124330 in the constellation Boötes. It lies about 196 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2021 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 124330 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 124330 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 124330 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 124330 b — one full orbit around HD 124330 — lasts 270.7 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.860 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.34), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 124330 b Discovered?
HD 124330 b was discovered in 2021 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Haute-Provence 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 124330 b?
HD 124330 b is 196.3 light-years (60.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1830. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 3,454,880 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 124330 b scores 0.29, ranking #2,001 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 124330
HD 124330
- Spectral type
- G4 IV
- Surface temperature
- 5,873 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.15 M☉
Planetary System
HD 124330 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 124330 so far.
HD 124330 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 238.37 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 270.66 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.860 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.340 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.29 |
| Distance from Earth | 196.3 light-years (60.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Boötes |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Haute-Provence Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2021 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2021-05-28. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 124330 b
Is HD 124330 b habitable?
HD 124330 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 124330, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 124330 b?
HD 124330 b is about 196 light-years from Earth in the constellation Boötes. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 3,454,880 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 124330 b?
One orbit around HD 124330 takes 270.7 Earth days.
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