HD 81040 b
HD 81040 b is a cold gas giant orbiting the G2/G3 star HD 81040 in the constellation Leo. It lies about 112 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2005 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 81040 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HD 81040 b relative to the habitable zone of HD 81040 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 81040 b — one full orbit around HD 81040 — lasts 1,002.7 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 1.946 AU. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.53), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HD 81040 b Discovered?
HD 81040 b was discovered in 2005 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 81040 b?
HD 81040 b is 112.3 light-years (34.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1914. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,976,480 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 81040 b scores 0.26, ranking #2,740 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 81040
HD 81040
- Spectral type
- G2/G3
- Mass
- 0.99 M☉
- Luminosity
- 0.8380 L☉
- Age
- 1.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
HD 81040 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 81040 so far.
HD 81040 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 2,301.08 Earth masses (7.240 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 1,002.70 days |
| Orbital distance | 1.946 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.525 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.26 |
| Distance from Earth | 112.3 light-years (34.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Leo |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2005 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2022-06-27. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 81040 b
Is HD 81040 b habitable?
HD 81040 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HD 81040, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HD 81040 b?
HD 81040 b is about 112 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,976,480 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 81040 b?
One orbit around HD 81040 takes 1,002.7 Earth days.
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