HD 202206 b
HD 202206 b is a exoplanet orbiting the G2 V star HD 202206 in the constellation Capricornus. It lies about 150 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2026 using the radial velocity method. It orbits within the habitable zone of its star — the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface.
Is HD 202206 b in the Habitable Zone?
HD 202206 b orbits within the optimistic habitable zone of HD 202206 — the broader region where liquid water might be possible under favorable atmospheric conditions.
Habitable zone of HD 202206: 0.784–1.848 AU (conservative: 0.993–1.752 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 202206 b — one full orbit around HD 202206 — lasts 256.3 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.810 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.43), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 202206 b Discovered?
HD 202206 b was discovered in 2026 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 202206 b?
HD 202206 b is 149.9 light-years (46.0 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1877. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,638,240 years to make the journey.
The Host Star: HD 202206
HD 202206
- Spectral type
- G2 V
- Surface temperature
- 5,764 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.06 M☉
- Radius
- 1.04 R☉
- Luminosity
- 1.0900 L☉
- Age
- 3.9 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The HD 202206 Planetary System
HD 202206 b is one of 2 known planets in the HD 202206 system. Its siblings:
- HD 202206 c (Cold Gas Giant)
HD 202206 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 6,849.20 Earth masses (21.550 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 256.26 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.810 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.426 |
| Distance from Earth | 149.9 light-years (46.0 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Capricornus |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2026 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2026-08-20. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 202206 b
Is HD 202206 b habitable?
HD 202206 b orbits within the habitable zone of HD 202206, the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. Whether it is actually habitable depends on its atmosphere and composition, which remain unknown.
How far away is HD 202206 b?
HD 202206 b is about 150 light-years from Earth in the constellation Capricornus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,638,240 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 202206 b?
One orbit around HD 202206 takes 256.3 Earth days.
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