HD 24040 b
HD 24040 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 24040 in the constellation Taurus. It lies about 152 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2006 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 24040 b in the Habitable Zone?
HD 24040 b orbits beyond the outer edge of the habitable zone of HD 24040. At that distance, any surface water would almost certainly be frozen.
Habitable zone of HD 24040: 0.982–2.313 AU (conservative: 1.244–2.193 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 24040 b — one full orbit around HD 24040 — lasts 3,668.0 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 4.920 AU. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.040).
How Was HD 24040 b Discovered?
HD 24040 b was discovered in 2006 using the radial velocity method, with observations from W. M. Keck 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 24040 b?
HD 24040 b is 152.1 light-years (46.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1874. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,676,960 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 24040 b scores 0.14, ranking #4,241 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 24040
HD 24040
- Surface temperature
- 5,802 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.11 M☉
- Radius
- 1.30 R☉
The HD 24040 Planetary System
HD 24040 b is one of 2 known planets in the HD 24040 system. Its siblings:
- HD 24040 c (Cold Gas Giant)
HD 24040 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 1,226.82 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 3,668.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 4.920 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.040 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.14 |
| Distance from Earth | 152.1 light-years (46.6 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Taurus |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | W. M. Keck Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2006 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-09-04. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 24040 b
Is HD 24040 b habitable?
No — HD 24040 b orbits outside the habitable zone of HD 24040 and is likely too cold for liquid water on its surface.
How far away is HD 24040 b?
HD 24040 b is about 152 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,676,960 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 24040 b?
One orbit around HD 24040 takes 3,668.0 Earth days.
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