HIP 19976 b
HIP 19976 b is a Neptune-like planet orbiting HIP 19976 in the constellation Horologium. It lies about 131 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2022 using the radial velocity method.
Is HIP 19976 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HIP 19976 b relative to the habitable zone of HIP 19976 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HIP 19976 b — one full orbit around HIP 19976 — lasts 50.7 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.234 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.30), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was HIP 19976 b Discovered?
HIP 19976 b was discovered in 2022 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 HIP 19976 b?
HIP 19976 b is 131.3 light-years (40.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1895. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,310,880 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. HIP 19976 b scores 0.38, ranking #546 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HIP 19976
HIP 19976 b belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits HIP 19976.
HIP 19976
- Mass
- 0.67 M☉
Planetary System
HIP 19976 b is the only planet known to orbit HIP 19976 so far.
HIP 19976 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 21.61 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 50.66 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.234 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.304 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.38 |
| Distance from Earth | 131.3 light-years (40.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Horologium |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2022 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HIP 19976 b
Is HIP 19976 b habitable?
HIP 19976 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HIP 19976, and as a Neptune-like planet it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HIP 19976 b?
HIP 19976 b is about 131 light-years from Earth in the constellation Horologium. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,310,880 years to get there.
How long is a year on HIP 19976 b?
One orbit around HIP 19976 takes 50.7 Earth days.
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