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HD 62549 b

Cold Gas Giant Monoceros

HD 62549 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 62549 in the constellation Monoceros. It lies about 161 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2022 using the radial velocity method.

2,708×Earth mass
14,307 dOrbital period
0.08Earth similarity
161 lyDistance
2022Discovered

Is HD 62549 b in the Habitable Zone?

The position of HD 62549 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 62549 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Orbit and Year Length

A year on HD 62549 b — one full orbit around HD 62549 — lasts 14,306.9 Earth days, longer than Jupiter's 12-year orbit. It orbits at an average distance of 11.842 AU. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.15).

How Was HD 62549 b Discovered?

HD 62549 b was discovered in 2022 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 62549 b?

HD 62549 b is 160.9 light-years (49.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1866. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,831,840 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 62549 b scores 0.08, ranking #4,606 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: HD 62549

HD 62549

Mass
1.08 M☉

Planetary System

HD 62549 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 62549 so far.

HD 62549 b — Complete Data

Mass2,707.58 Earth masses (8.519 Jupiter masses)
Orbital period14,306.89 days
Orbital distance11.842 AU
Eccentricity0.150
Earth Similarity Index0.08
Distance from Earth160.9 light-years (49.3 parsecs)
ConstellationMonoceros
Discovery methodRadial Velocity
Discovery facilityMultiple Observatories
Discovery year2022

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-12. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About HD 62549 b

Is HD 62549 b habitable?

HD 62549 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 62549, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is HD 62549 b?

HD 62549 b is about 161 light-years from Earth in the constellation Monoceros. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,831,840 years to get there.

How long is a year on HD 62549 b?

One orbit around HD 62549 takes 14,306.9 Earth days.

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