HD 16905 b
HD 16905 b is a cold gas giant orbiting the K3 V star HD 16905 in the constellation Horologium. It lies about 130 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2022 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 16905 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 16905 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 16905 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 16905 b — one full orbit around HD 16905 — lasts 10,256.0 Earth days, longer than Jupiter's 12-year orbit. It orbits at an average distance of 8.800 AU. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.68), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 16905 b Discovered?
HD 16905 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 16905 b?
HD 16905 b is 129.6 light-years (39.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1897. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,280,960 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 16905 b scores 0.08, ranking #4,731 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 16905
HD 16905
- Spectral type
- K3 V
- Mass
- 0.85 M☉
- Age
- 6.1 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
HD 16905 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 16905 so far.
HD 16905 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 3,591.46 Earth masses (11.300 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 10,256.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 8.800 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.680 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.08 |
| Distance from Earth | 129.6 light-years (39.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Horologium |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2022 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-09-05. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 16905 b
Is HD 16905 b habitable?
HD 16905 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 16905, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 16905 b?
HD 16905 b is about 130 light-years from Earth in the constellation Horologium. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,280,960 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 16905 b?
One orbit around HD 16905 takes 10,256.0 Earth days.
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