HD 216437 b
HD 216437 b is a cold gas giant orbiting the G1 V star HD 216437 in the constellation Indus. It lies about 87 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2002 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 216437 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 216437 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 216437 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 216437 b — one full orbit around HD 216437 — lasts 1,359.0 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 2.570 AU. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.31), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 216437 b Discovered?
HD 216437 b was discovered in 2002 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Anglo-Australian Telescope.
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 216437 b?
HD 216437 b is 87.1 light-years (26.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1939. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,532,960 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 216437 b scores 0.31, ranking #1,198 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 216437
HD 216437
- Spectral type
- G1 V
- Mass
- 1.22 M☉
- Age
- 4.9 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
HD 216437 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 216437 so far.
HD 216437 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 1,334.88 Earth masses (4.200 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 1,359.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 2.570 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.310 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.31 |
| Distance from Earth | 87.1 light-years (26.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Indus |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Anglo-Australian Telescope |
| Discovery year | 2002 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-09-05. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 216437 b
Is HD 216437 b habitable?
HD 216437 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 216437, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 216437 b?
HD 216437 b is about 87 light-years from Earth in the constellation Indus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,532,960 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 216437 b?
One orbit around HD 216437 takes 1,359.0 Earth days.
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