HD 215497 c
HD 215497 c is a cold gas giant orbiting the K3 V star HD 215497 in the constellation Tucana. It lies about 132 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 215497 c in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 215497 c relative to the habitable zone of HD 215497 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 215497 c — one full orbit around HD 215497 — lasts 566.0 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 1.310 AU. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.47), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 215497 c Discovered?
HD 215497 c was discovered in 2009 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 215497 c?
HD 215497 c is 132.2 light-years (40.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1894. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,326,720 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 215497 c scores 0.26, ranking #2,769 of 5,565 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 215497
HD 215497
- Spectral type
- K3 V
- Mass
- 0.92 M☉
- Age
- 5.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The HD 215497 Planetary System
HD 215497 c is one of 2 known planets in the HD 215497 system. Its siblings:
- HD 215497 b (Super Earth)
HD 215497 c — Complete Data
| Mass | 111.24 Earth masses (0.350 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 566.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 1.310 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.470 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.26 |
| Distance from Earth | 132.2 light-years (40.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Tucana |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2009 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-09-05. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 215497 c
Is HD 215497 c habitable?
HD 215497 c is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 215497, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 215497 c?
HD 215497 c is about 132 light-years from Earth in the constellation Tucana. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,326,720 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 215497 c?
One orbit around HD 215497 takes 566.0 Earth days.
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