HD 80869 b
HD 80869 b is a cold gas giant orbiting HD 80869 in the constellation Leo Minor. It lies about 279 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2021 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 80869 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 80869 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 80869 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 80869 b — one full orbit around HD 80869 — lasts 1,752.9 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 2.905 AU. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.92), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 80869 b Discovered?
HD 80869 b was discovered in 2021 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Haute-Provence 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 80869 b?
HD 80869 b is 278.5 light-years (85.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1748. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 4,901,600 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 80869 b scores 0.39, ranking #530 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 80869
HD 80869
- Mass
- 1.06 M☉
Planetary System
HD 80869 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 80869 so far.
HD 80869 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 1,609.80 Earth masses (5.065 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 1,752.92 days |
| Orbital distance | 2.905 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.924 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.39 |
| Distance from Earth | 278.5 light-years (85.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Leo Minor |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Haute-Provence Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2021 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-12. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 80869 b
Is HD 80869 b habitable?
HD 80869 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 80869, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 80869 b?
HD 80869 b is about 279 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo Minor. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 4,901,600 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 80869 b?
One orbit around HD 80869 takes 1,752.9 Earth days.
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