BD-10 3166 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
BD-10 3166 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star BD-10 3166, located approximately 275.3 light-years (84.41 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2000 by W. M. Keck Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 14.1 Earth radii (1.26 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 187.52 Earth masses (0.59 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.37 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.94 g⊕ (9.22 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 40.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around BD-10 3166, BD-10 3166 b completes one full revolution every 3.488 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04 AU (an ultra-close orbit less than one-seventh of Mercury's 0.387 AU distance from the Sun, where strong stellar tidal forces typically induce synchronous rotation). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 124.8 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.02 (ranging from 0.0392 AU at periapsis to 0.0408 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1240 K (+967°C / +1773°F) and receiving 402.42 S⊕ (~547,696 W/m²), BD-10 3166 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star BD-10 3166 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K0 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,393 K, a radius of 0.91 R☉, a mass of 1.47 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.628 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.25 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.38 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, BD-10 3166 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.013 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) 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: W. M. Keck Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | BD-10 3166 |
| Spectral Type | K0 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,393 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.4700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.628 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.380 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.250 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.013 · G: 9.840 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.040000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.488 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 124.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.02000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.37 g/cm³ (40.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 402.4216 S⊕ (~547,696 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 275.300 LY (84.407 pc) |