HU Aqr AB b
The parameters of this planet are disputed or ambiguous in the scientific literature.
HU Aqr AB b is a cold gas giant orbiting HU Aqr in the constellation Aquarius. It lies about 627 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2011 using the eclipse timing variations method.
Is HU Aqr AB b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of HU Aqr AB b relative to the habitable zone of HU Aqr cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HU Aqr AB b — one full orbit around HU Aqr — lasts 2,390.0 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 3.600 AU.
How Was HU Aqr AB b Discovered?
HU Aqr AB b was discovered in 2011 using the eclipse timing variations method, with observations from Yunnan Astronomical Observatory.
Eclipse timing variations detect a planet orbiting an eclipsing pair of stars: the planet's gravity shifts the precise moments when the stars eclipse each other.
How Far Away Is HU Aqr AB b?
HU Aqr AB b is 626.9 light-years (192.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1400. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 11,033,440 years to make the journey.
The Host Star: HU Aqr
HU Aqr AB b is a circumbinary planet — it orbits around two stars at once, like Tatooine in Star Wars.
HU Aqr
- Mass
- 0.88 M☉
The HU Aqr Planetary System
HU Aqr AB b is one of 2 known planets in the HU Aqr system. Its siblings:
- HU Aqr AB c (Cold Gas Giant)
HU Aqr AB b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 1,875.20 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 2,390.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 3.600 AU |
| Distance from Earth | 626.9 light-years (192.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Aquarius |
| Discovery method | Eclipse Timing Variations |
| Discovery facility | Yunnan Astronomical Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2011 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-10-18. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HU Aqr AB b
Is HU Aqr AB b habitable?
HU Aqr AB b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of HU Aqr, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is HU Aqr AB b?
HU Aqr AB b is about 627 light-years from Earth in the constellation Aquarius. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 11,033,440 years to get there.
How long is a year on HU Aqr AB b?
One orbit around HU Aqr takes 2,390.0 Earth days.
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