HD 151450 b
HD 151450 b is a Neptune-like planet orbiting HD 151450 in the constellation Ophiuchus. It lies about 142 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2022 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 151450 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 151450 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 151450 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 151450 b — one full orbit around HD 151450 — lasts 21.9 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.160 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.50), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 151450 b Discovered?
HD 151450 b was discovered in 2022 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Multiple Observatories.
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 151450 b?
HD 151450 b is 142.2 light-years (43.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1884. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,502,720 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 151450 b scores 0.13, ranking #4,280 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 151450
HD 151450
- Mass
- 1.14 M☉
The HD 151450 Planetary System
HD 151450 b is one of 2 known planets in the HD 151450 system. Its siblings:
- HD 151450 c (Cold Gas Giant)
HD 151450 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 38.46 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 21.89 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.160 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.496 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.13 |
| Distance from Earth | 142.2 light-years (43.6 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Ophiuchus |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2022 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 151450 b
Is HD 151450 b habitable?
HD 151450 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 151450, and as a Neptune-like planet it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 151450 b?
HD 151450 b is about 142 light-years from Earth in the constellation Ophiuchus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,502,720 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 151450 b?
One orbit around HD 151450 takes 21.9 Earth days — short enough that 17 of its years would fit into one Earth year.