HD 160691 c
HD 160691 c is a cold gas giant orbiting the G3 IV-V star HD 160691 in the constellation Ara. It lies about 51 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2004 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 160691 c in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 160691 c relative to the habitable zone of HD 160691 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of HD 160691: 0.997–2.348 AU (conservative: 1.262–2.227 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
See the full interactive habitable-zone view in the Exoplanet Explorer app ›
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 160691 c — one full orbit around HD 160691 — lasts 3,947.0 Earth days, longer than an Earth year.
How Was HD 160691 c Discovered?
HD 160691 c was discovered in 2004 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 160691 c?
HD 160691 c is 50.9 light-years (15.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1976. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 895,840 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 160691 c scores 0.17, ranking #4,090 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 160691
HD 160691
- Spectral type
- G3 IV-V
- Surface temperature
- 5,773 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.13 M☉
- Radius
- 1.33 R☉
- Age
- 5.7 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The HD 160691 Planetary System
HD 160691 c is one of 4 known planets in the HD 160691 system. Its siblings:
- HD 160691 b (Cold Gas Giant)
- HD 160691 d
- HD 160691 e (Cold Gas Giant)
HD 160691 c — Complete Data
| Mass | 1,398.44 Earth masses (4.400 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 3,947.00 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.17 |
| Distance from Earth | 50.9 light-years (15.6 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Ara |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Anglo-Australian Telescope |
| Discovery year | 2004 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2022-08-01. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 160691 c
Is HD 160691 c habitable?
HD 160691 c is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 160691, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 160691 c?
HD 160691 c is about 51 light-years from Earth in the constellation Ara. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 895,840 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 160691 c?
One orbit around HD 160691 takes 3,947.0 Earth days.
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