HD 125612 c
HD 125612 c is a Neptune-like planet orbiting HD 125612 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 188 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 125612 c in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 125612 c relative to the habitable zone of HD 125612 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 125612 c — one full orbit around HD 125612 — lasts 4.15 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.051 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.15).
How Was HD 125612 c Discovered?
HD 125612 c was discovered in 2009 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 125612 c?
HD 125612 c is 187.9 light-years (57.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1839. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 3,307,040 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 125612 c scores 0.18, ranking #4,063 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 125612
HD 125612 c belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits HD 125612.
HD 125612
- Mass
- 1.05 M☉
The HD 125612 Planetary System
HD 125612 c is one of 3 known planets in the HD 125612 system. Its siblings:
- HD 125612 b (Cold Gas Giant)
- HD 125612 d (Cold Gas Giant)
HD 125612 c — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 15.57 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 4.15 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.051 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.149 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.18 |
| Distance from Earth | 187.9 light-years (57.6 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2009 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 125612 c
Is HD 125612 c habitable?
HD 125612 c is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 125612, and as a Neptune-like planet it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 125612 c?
HD 125612 c is about 188 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 3,307,040 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 125612 c?
One orbit around HD 125612 takes 4.2 Earth days — short enough that 88 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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