HD 27442 b
HD 27442 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 27442 in the constellation Reticulum. It lies about 60 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2000 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 27442 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 27442 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 27442 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 27442 b — one full orbit around HD 27442 — lasts 428.1 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 1.271 AU. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.06).
How Was HD 27442 b Discovered?
HD 27442 b was discovered in 2000 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 27442 b?
HD 27442 b is 59.6 light-years (18.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1967. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,048,960 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 27442 b scores 0.25, ranking #3,204 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 27442
HD 27442 b belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits HD 27442.
HD 27442
- Surface temperature
- 4,846 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.23 M☉
Planetary System
HD 27442 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 27442 so far.
HD 27442 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 495.80 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 428.10 days |
| Orbital distance | 1.271 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.060 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.25 |
| Distance from Earth | 59.6 light-years (18.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Reticulum |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Anglo-Australian Telescope |
| Discovery year | 2000 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-07-23. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 27442 b
Is HD 27442 b habitable?
HD 27442 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 27442, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 27442 b?
HD 27442 b is about 60 light-years from Earth in the constellation Reticulum. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,048,960 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 27442 b?
One orbit around HD 27442 takes 428.1 Earth days.
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