HD 168863 b
HD 168863 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 168863 in the constellation Sagittarius. It lies about 130 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2022 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 168863 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 168863 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 168863 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 168863 b — one full orbit around HD 168863 — lasts 14,773.9 Earth days, longer than Jupiter's 12-year orbit. It orbits at an average distance of 10.961 AU. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.19).
How Was HD 168863 b Discovered?
HD 168863 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 168863 b?
HD 168863 b is 130.1 light-years (39.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1896. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,289,760 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 168863 b scores 0.07, ranking #4,859 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 168863
HD 168863
- Mass
- 0.80 M☉
Planetary System
HD 168863 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 168863 so far.
HD 168863 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 2,154.88 Earth masses (6.780 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 14,773.93 days |
| Orbital distance | 10.961 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.187 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 130.1 light-years (39.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2022 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-12. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 168863 b
Is HD 168863 b habitable?
HD 168863 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 168863, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 168863 b?
HD 168863 b is about 130 light-years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,289,760 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 168863 b?
One orbit around HD 168863 takes 14,773.9 Earth days.
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