HD 27894 b
HD 27894 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 27894 in the constellation Reticulum. It lies about 143 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2005 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 27894 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 27894 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 27894 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 27894 b — one full orbit around HD 27894 — lasts 18.0 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.125 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.047).
How Was HD 27894 b Discovered?
HD 27894 b was discovered in 2005 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 27894 b?
HD 27894 b is 142.9 light-years (43.8 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1884. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,515,040 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 27894 b scores 0.11, ranking #4,386 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 27894
HD 27894
- Mass
- 0.81 M☉
The HD 27894 Planetary System
HD 27894 b is one of 3 known planets in the HD 27894 system. Its siblings:
- HD 27894 c (Cold Gas Giant)
- HD 27894 d (Cold Gas Giant)
HD 27894 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 196.74 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 18.02 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.125 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.047 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.11 |
| Distance from Earth | 142.9 light-years (43.8 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Reticulum |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2005 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 27894 b
Is HD 27894 b habitable?
HD 27894 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 27894, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 27894 b?
HD 27894 b is about 143 light-years from Earth in the constellation Reticulum. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,515,040 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 27894 b?
One orbit around HD 27894 takes 18.0 Earth days — short enough that 20 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore HD 27894 b in the app
Browse, filter and compare 6,000+ exoplanets on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch — with habitable-zone views, widgets and offline data.
