HD 26161 b
HD 26161 b is a exoplanet orbiting HD 26161 in the constellation Perseus. It lies about 133 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2021 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 26161 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 26161 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 26161 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 26161 b — one full orbit around HD 26161 — lasts 10,942.3 Earth days, longer than Jupiter's 12-year orbit. It orbits at an average distance of 10.087 AU. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.92), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 26161 b Discovered?
HD 26161 b was discovered in 2021 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Multiple Observatories.
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 26161 b?
HD 26161 b is 133.4 light-years (40.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1893. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,347,840 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 26161 b scores 0.14, ranking #4,262 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 26161
HD 26161
- Mass
- 1.12 M☉
Planetary System
HD 26161 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 26161 so far.
HD 26161 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 9,045.40 Earth masses (28.460 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 10,942.29 days |
| Orbital distance | 10.087 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.922 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.14 |
| Distance from Earth | 133.4 light-years (40.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Perseus |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2021 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-12. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 26161 b
Is HD 26161 b habitable?
HD 26161 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 26161.
How far away is HD 26161 b?
HD 26161 b is about 133 light-years from Earth in the constellation Perseus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,347,840 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 26161 b?
One orbit around HD 26161 takes 10,942.3 Earth days.
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