bet Pic d
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
bet Pic d is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star bet Pic, located approximately 64.4 light-years (19.74 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2026 by Paranal Observatory using the Imaging detection technique (resolved directly via high-contrast coronagraphic or interferometric imaging), this world measures 14.123 Earth radii (1.26 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 762.788 Earth masses (2.4 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.49 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 3.82 g⊕ (37.46 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 82.2 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around bet Pic, bet Pic d completes one full revolution every 33200 Earth days (90.9Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 26 AU (a wide outer-system orbit beyond Jupiter's 5.20 AU distance in our Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 8.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.44, swinging from 14.56 AU at periapsis out to 37.44 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 600 K (+327°C / +621°F) and receiving 0.01 S⊕ (~18 W/m²), bet Pic d orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star bet Pic is classified as a luminous A-type star of spectral type A6 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 8,039 K, a radius of 1.5442 R☉, a mass of 1.789 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 8.935 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.023 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.21 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, bet Pic shines at apparent V-band magnitude 3.85 (visible to the unaided human eye under dark skies) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The bet Pic system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 3 confirmed worlds, with bet Pic d sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside bet Pic c, bet Pic b.
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 | bet Pic |
| Spectral Type | A6 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 8,039 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.5442 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.7890 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 8.935 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.210 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.023 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 3.850 · G: 3.820 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 3 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 26.000000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 33200 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 8.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.44000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.49 g/cm³ (82.2 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0133 S⊕ (~18 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 64.400 LY (19.744 pc) |