HAT-P-62 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HAT-P-62 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HAT-P-62, located approximately 1137.7 light-years (348.82 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by HATNet using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.8881% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.027 Earth radii (1.07 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 241.867 Earth masses (0.76 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.77 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.67 g⊕ (16.38 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 50.2 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HAT-P-62, HAT-P-62 b completes one full revolution every 2.645 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.03772 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 155.1 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.101 carries the world between 0.0339 AU at periapsis and 0.0415 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1512 K (+1239°C / +2262°F) and receiving 867.20 S⊕ (~1,180,259 W/m²), HAT-P-62 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star HAT-P-62 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,629 K, a radius of 1.17 R☉, a mass of 1.023 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.233 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 8.1 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.414 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HAT-P-62 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.539 (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: HATNet · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HAT-P-62 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,629 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.1700 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0230 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.233 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.414 dex |
| Stellar Age | 8.100 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.539 · G: 12.436 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.037720 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.645 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 155.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.10100 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 87.9300° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.77 g/cm³ (50.2 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 867.2000 S⊕ (~1,180,259 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1137.700 LY (348.815 pc) |