HD 142 b
HD 142 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 142 in the constellation Phoenix. It lies about 85 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2001 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 142 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 142 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 142 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 142 b — one full orbit around HD 142 — lasts 351.4 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 1.039 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.16).
How Was HD 142 b Discovered?
HD 142 b was discovered in 2001 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Anglo-Australian Telescope.
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 142 b?
HD 142 b is 85.4 light-years (26.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1941. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,503,040 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 142 b scores 0.30, ranking #1,278 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 142
HD 142 b belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits HD 142.
HD 142
- Mass
- 1.21 M☉
The HD 142 Planetary System
HD 142 b is one of 3 known planets in the HD 142 system. Its siblings:
- HD 142 A d (Cold Gas Giant)
- HD 142 c (Cold Gas Giant)
HD 142 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 396.97 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 351.43 days |
| Orbital distance | 1.039 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.158 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.30 |
| Distance from Earth | 85.4 light-years (26.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Phoenix |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Anglo-Australian Telescope |
| Discovery year | 2001 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 142 b
Is HD 142 b habitable?
HD 142 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 142, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 142 b?
HD 142 b is about 85 light-years from Earth in the constellation Phoenix. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,503,040 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 142 b?
One orbit around HD 142 takes 351.4 Earth days.
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