HD 48948 b
HD 48948 b is a super-Earth orbiting the K3 V star HD 48948 in the constellation Lynx. It lies about 55 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2024 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 48948 b in the Habitable Zone?
HD 48948 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of HD 48948. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of HD 48948: 0.342–0.841 AU (conservative: 0.433–0.798 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on HD 48948 b
The equilibrium temperature of HD 48948 b is about 957 K (684 °C) — hot enough to melt many metals. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C. It receives 139 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 48948 b — one full orbit around HD 48948 — lasts 7.34 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.065 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.06).
How Was HD 48948 b Discovered?
HD 48948 b was discovered in 2024 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Roque de los Muchachos 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 48948 b?
HD 48948 b is 55.1 light-years (16.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1971. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 969,760 years to make the journey.
The Host Star: HD 48948
HD 48948
- Spectral type
- K3 V
- Surface temperature
- 4,593 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.69 M☉
- Radius
- 0.68 R☉
- Age
- 11.5 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The HD 48948 Planetary System
HD 48948 b is one of 3 known planets in the HD 48948 system. Its siblings:
- HD 48948 c (Super Earth)
- HD 48948 d (Neptune-like)
HD 48948 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 4.88 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 7.34 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.065 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.055 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 957 K (684 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 138.85× Earth |
| Distance from Earth | 55.1 light-years (16.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Lynx |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Roque de los Muchachos Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2024 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2024-07-12. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 48948 b
Is HD 48948 b habitable?
No — HD 48948 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is HD 48948 b?
HD 48948 b is about 55 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lynx. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 969,760 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 48948 b?
One orbit around HD 48948 takes 7.3 Earth days — short enough that 50 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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