HD 156279 b
HD 156279 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 156279 in the constellation Draco. It lies about 118 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2011 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 156279 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 156279 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 156279 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 156279 b — one full orbit around HD 156279 — lasts 133.4 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.502 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.65), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 156279 b Discovered?
HD 156279 b was discovered in 2011 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 156279 b?
HD 156279 b is 118.1 light-years (36.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1908. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,078,560 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 156279 b scores 0.27, ranking #2,509 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 156279
HD 156279
- Mass
- 0.94 M☉
The HD 156279 Planetary System
HD 156279 b is one of 2 known planets in the HD 156279 system. Its siblings:
- HD 156279 c (Cold Gas Giant)
HD 156279 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 2,997.76 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 133.40 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.502 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.647 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.27 |
| Distance from Earth | 118.1 light-years (36.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Draco |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Haute-Provence Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2011 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 156279 b
Is HD 156279 b habitable?
HD 156279 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 156279, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 156279 b?
HD 156279 b is about 118 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,078,560 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 156279 b?
One orbit around HD 156279 takes 133.4 Earth days.
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