HD 126614 b
HD 126614 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 126614 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 238 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 126614 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 126614 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 126614 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 126614 b — one full orbit around HD 126614 — lasts 1,257.3 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 2.249 AU. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.55), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 126614 b Discovered?
HD 126614 b was discovered in 2009 using the radial velocity method, with observations from W. M. Keck 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 126614 b?
HD 126614 b is 238.4 light-years (73.1 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1788. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 4,195,840 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 126614 b scores 0.28, ranking #2,257 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 126614
HD 126614 b belongs to a system of 3 stars; it orbits HD 126614.
HD 126614
- Mass
- 0.96 M☉
Planetary System
HD 126614 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 126614 so far.
HD 126614 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 107.74 Earth masses (0.339 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 1,257.25 days |
| Orbital distance | 2.249 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.548 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.28 |
| Distance from Earth | 238.4 light-years (73.1 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | W. M. Keck Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2009 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-12. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 126614 b
Is HD 126614 b habitable?
HD 126614 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 126614, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 126614 b?
HD 126614 b is about 238 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 4,195,840 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 126614 b?
One orbit around HD 126614 takes 1,257.3 Earth days.
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