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HD 197037 b

Cold Gas Giant Cygnus

HD 197037 b is a cold gas giant orbiting the F7 V star HD 197037 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 108 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2012 using the radial velocity method.

251×Earth mass
1,036 dOrbital period
0.32Earth similarity
108 lyDistance
2012Discovered

Is HD 197037 b in the Habitable Zone?

The position of HD 197037 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 197037 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Orbit and Year Length

A year on HD 197037 b — one full orbit around HD 197037 — lasts 1,035.7 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 2.070 AU. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.22).

How Was HD 197037 b Discovered?

HD 197037 b was discovered in 2012 using the radial velocity method, with observations from McDonald 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 197037 b?

HD 197037 b is 108.3 light-years (33.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1918. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,906,080 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 197037 b scores 0.32, ranking #1,005 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: HD 197037

HD 197037 b belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits HD 197037.

HD 197037

Spectral type
F7 V
Surface temperature
6,150 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
Mass
1.11 M☉
Age
1.9 billion years (Sun: 4.6)

Planetary System

HD 197037 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 197037 so far.

HD 197037 b — Complete Data

Mass (best estimate)251.00 Earth masses
Orbital period1,035.70 days
Orbital distance2.070 AU
Eccentricity0.220
Earth Similarity Index0.32
Distance from Earth108.3 light-years (33.2 parsecs)
ConstellationCygnus
Discovery methodRadial Velocity
Discovery facilityMcDonald Observatory
Discovery year2012

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-01-28. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About HD 197037 b

Is HD 197037 b habitable?

HD 197037 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 197037, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is HD 197037 b?

HD 197037 b is about 108 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,906,080 years to get there.

How long is a year on HD 197037 b?

One orbit around HD 197037 takes 1,035.7 Earth days.

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