HD 88986 b
HD 88986 b is a super-Earth orbiting the G2 V star HD 88986 in the constellation Leo Minor. It lies about 109 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2023 using the radial velocity method.
How Big Is HD 88986 b?
HD 88986 b has a radius of 2.49 times that of Earth. Its mass is 17.2 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 6.10 g/cm³ — comparable to rocky planets like Earth (5.51 g/cm³).
Is HD 88986 b in the Habitable Zone?
HD 88986 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of HD 88986. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of HD 88986: 1.186–2.787 AU (conservative: 1.502–2.642 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on HD 88986 b
The equilibrium temperature of HD 88986 b is about 460 K (187 °C) — hotter than anywhere on Earth. 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 88986 b — one full orbit around HD 88986 — lasts 146.1 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.580 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.24).
How Was HD 88986 b Discovered?
HD 88986 b was discovered in 2023 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 88986 b?
HD 88986 b is 108.5 light-years (33.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1918. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,909,600 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 88986 b scores 0.38, ranking #576 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HD 88986
HD 88986
- Spectral type
- G2 V
- Surface temperature
- 5,861 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.25 M☉
- Radius
- 1.54 R☉
- Age
- 7.9 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
HD 88986 b is the only planet known to orbit HD 88986 so far.
HD 88986 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.490 Earth radii (0.222 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 17.20 Earth masses (0.054 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 6.10 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 146.05 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.580 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.240 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 460 K (187 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.38 |
| Distance from Earth | 108.5 light-years (33.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Leo Minor |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Haute-Provence Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2023 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-12-04. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HD 88986 b
Is HD 88986 b habitable?
No — HD 88986 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is HD 88986 b?
HD 88986 b is about 109 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo Minor. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,909,600 years to get there.
How big is HD 88986 b compared to Earth?
HD 88986 b has 2.49 times the radius of Earth and about 17.2 times its mass.
How long is a year on HD 88986 b?
One orbit around HD 88986 takes 146.1 Earth days.
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