HD 86226 b
HD 86226 b is a cold gas giant orbiting the G1 V star HD 86226 in the constellation Hydra. It lies about 149 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the radial velocity method.
Is HD 86226 b in the Habitable Zone?
HD 86226 b orbits beyond the outer edge of the habitable zone of HD 86226. At that distance, any surface water would almost certainly be frozen.
Habitable zone of HD 86226: 0.811–1.907 AU (conservative: 1.027–1.808 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on HD 86226 b
The equilibrium temperature of HD 86226 b is about 176 K (-97 °C) — well below freezing. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HD 86226 b — one full orbit around HD 86226 — lasts 1,628.0 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 2.730 AU. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.06).
How Was HD 86226 b Discovered?
HD 86226 b was discovered in 2009 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Las Campanas 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 86226 b?
HD 86226 b is 149.0 light-years (45.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1877. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,622,400 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 86226 b scores 0.20, ranking #3,892 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 86226
HD 86226
- Spectral type
- G1 V
- Surface temperature
- 5,863 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.02 M☉
- Radius
- 1.05 R☉
- Luminosity
- 1.1800 L☉
- Age
- 4.6 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The HD 86226 Planetary System
HD 86226 b is one of 2 known planets in the HD 86226 system. Its siblings:
- HD 86226 c (Super Earth)
HD 86226 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 143.02 Earth masses (0.450 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 1,628.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 2.730 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.059 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 176 K (-97 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.20 |
| Distance from Earth | 149.0 light-years (45.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Hydra |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Las Campanas Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2009 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2020-08-06. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 86226 b
Is HD 86226 b habitable?
No — HD 86226 b orbits outside the habitable zone of HD 86226 and is likely too cold for liquid water on its surface.
How far away is HD 86226 b?
HD 86226 b is about 149 light-years from Earth in the constellation Hydra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,622,400 years to get there.
How long is a year on HD 86226 b?
One orbit around HD 86226 takes 1,628.0 Earth days.
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