AB Pic b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
AB Pic b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star AB Pic, located approximately 163.2 light-years (50.05 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2005 by Paranal Observatory using the Imaging detection technique (resolved directly via high-contrast coronagraphic or interferometric imaging), this world measures 12.3 Earth radii (1.1 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 4290.5 Earth masses (13.5 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 12.71 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 28.36 g⊕ (278.12 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 208.9 km/s.
❄️ Thermal Regime (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 16 K (-257°C / -431°F), surface water and volatile species on AB Pic b would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star AB Pic is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K2 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,285 K, a radius of 0.9994 R☉, a mass of 0.9 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.699 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.03 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, AB Pic shines at apparent V-band magnitude 9.13 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) in the Southern celestial hemisphere.
Methodology: Computed using the Schulze-Makuch et al. (2011) weighted metric comparing physical interior (radius, estimated density) and surface thermal regime (escape velocity, equilibrium temperature).
Discovery Facility: Paranal Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | AB Pic |
| Spectral Type | K2 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,285 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9994 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9000 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.699 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.040 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.030 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 9.130 · G: 8.838 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 260.000000 AU |
| Orbital Period | — |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 12.71 g/cm³ (208.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0000 S⊕ |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 163.200 LY (50.048 pc) |