HD 72892 b
HD 72892 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 72892 in the constellation Hydra. It lies about 227 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 72892 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 72892 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 72892 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 72892 b — one full orbit around HD 72892 — lasts 39.4 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.228 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.42), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 72892 b Discovered?
HD 72892 b was discovered in 2016 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 72892 b?
HD 72892 b is 227.4 light-years (69.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1799. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 4,002,240 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 72892 b scores 0.10, ranking #4,408 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 72892
HD 72892
- Mass
- 1.01 M☉
Planetary System
HD 72892 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 72892 so far.
HD 72892 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 1,737.89 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 39.45 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.228 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.419 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.10 |
| Distance from Earth | 227.4 light-years (69.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Hydra |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2016 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 72892 b
Is HD 72892 b habitable?
HD 72892 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 72892, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 72892 b?
HD 72892 b is about 227 light-years from Earth in the constellation Hydra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 4,002,240 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 72892 b?
One orbit around HD 72892 takes 39.4 Earth days.
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