GJ 463 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
GJ 463 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star GJ 463, located approximately 59.9 light-years (18.36 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2022 by Multiple Observatories using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 13.1 Earth radii (1.17 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 1080.617 Earth masses (3.4 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.65 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 6.3 g⊕ (61.78 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 101.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around GJ 463, GJ 463 b completes one full revolution every 3459 Earth days (9.47Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 3.53 AU (corresponding to the middle-system regime between Mars at 1.52 AU and Jupiter at 5.20 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 11.1 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.146 carries the world between 3.0146 AU at periapsis and 4.0454 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
❄️ Thermal Regime (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 64 K (-209°C / -344°F) and an incident flux of 0.00 S⊕ (~3 W/m²), surface water and volatile species on GJ 463 b would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star GJ 463 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M3.0 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,563 K, a radius of 0.483 R☉, a mass of 0.486 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.034 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.16 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, GJ 463 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.595 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern 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: Multiple Observatories · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | GJ 463 |
| Spectral Type | M3.0 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,563 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.4830 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.4860 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.034 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.160 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.595 · G: 10.546 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 3.530000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3459 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 11.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.14600 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 152.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.65 g/cm³ (101.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0024 S⊕ (~3 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 59.900 LY (18.355 pc) |