HD 52265 b
HD 52265 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 52265 in the constellation Monoceros. It lies about 98 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2000 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 52265 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 52265 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 52265 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 52265 b — one full orbit around HD 52265 — lasts 119.3 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.520 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.27).
How Was HD 52265 b Discovered?
HD 52265 b was discovered in 2000 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 52265 b?
HD 52265 b is 97.8 light-years (30.0 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1929. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,721,280 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 52265 b scores 0.18, ranking #4,024 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 52265
HD 52265
- Surface temperature
- 6,136 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.20 M☉
Planetary System
HD 52265 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 52265 so far.
HD 52265 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 384.57 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 119.27 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.520 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.270 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.18 |
| Distance from Earth | 97.8 light-years (30.0 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Monoceros |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | W. M. Keck Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2000 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-03-11. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 52265 b
Is HD 52265 b habitable?
HD 52265 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 52265, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 52265 b?
HD 52265 b is about 98 light-years from Earth in the constellation Monoceros. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,721,280 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 52265 b?
One orbit around HD 52265 takes 119.3 Earth days.
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