HD 169830 b
HD 169830 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 169830 in the constellation Sagittarius. It lies about 123 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2000 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 169830 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 169830 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 169830 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 169830 b — one full orbit around HD 169830 — lasts 225.7 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.765 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.29).
How Was HD 169830 b Discovered?
HD 169830 b was discovered in 2000 using the radial velocity method, with observations from La Silla 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 169830 b?
HD 169830 b is 122.7 light-years (37.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1904. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,159,520 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 169830 b scores 0.18, ranking #4,047 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 169830
HD 169830
- Mass
- 1.17 M☉
The HD 169830 Planetary System
HD 169830 b is one of 2 known planets in the HD 169830 system. Its siblings:
- HD 169830 c (Cold Gas Giant)
HD 169830 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 804.42 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 225.67 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.765 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.294 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.18 |
| Distance from Earth | 122.7 light-years (37.6 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2000 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 169830 b
Is HD 169830 b habitable?
HD 169830 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 169830, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 169830 b?
HD 169830 b is about 123 light-years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,159,520 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 169830 b?
One orbit around HD 169830 takes 225.7 Earth days.
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