HD 104067 c
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 104067 c is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star HD 104067, located approximately 66.4 light-years (20.36 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2024 by Multiple Observatories using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 3.69 Earth radii (0.33 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 13.2 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.45 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.97 g⊕ (9.51 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 21.2 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 104067, HD 104067 c completes one full revolution every 13.899 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1058 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 82.8 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.29, swinging from 0.0751 AU at periapsis out to 0.1365 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 648 K (+375°C / +707°F) and receiving 27.45 S⊕ (~37,353 W/m²), HD 104067 c orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star HD 104067 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K2V with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,952 K, a radius of 0.78 R☉, a mass of 0.82 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.328 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.33 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.11 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 104067 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 7.92 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The HD 104067 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with HD 104067 c sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside HD 104067 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: Multiple Observatories · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 104067 |
| Spectral Type | K2V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,952 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7800 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8200 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.328 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.110 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.330 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 7.920 · G: 7.620 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.105800 AU |
| Orbital Period | 13.899 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 82.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.29000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.45 g/cm³ (21.2 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 27.4455 S⊕ (~37,353 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 66.400 LY (20.363 pc) |