HD 106270 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 106270 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 106270, located approximately 306 light-years (93.81 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2011 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 12.4 Earth radii (1.11 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 3623.244 Earth masses (11.4 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 10.48 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 23.56 g⊕ (231.04 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 191.2 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 106270, HD 106270 b completes one full revolution every 1888 Earth days (5.17Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 3.34 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 19.2 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.185 carries the world between 2.7221 AU at periapsis and 3.9579 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 12.400 R⊕, HD 106270 b exceeds the empirical ~1.8–2.2 R⊕ Fulton radius valley threshold, indicating a substantial hydrogen-helium or supercritical volatile envelope without a conventional solid terrestrial surface.
The host star HD 106270 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G5 IV with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,509 K, a radius of 2.66 R☉, a mass of 1.39 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 5.847 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.3 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.06 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 106270 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 7.58 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) 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 | HD 106270 |
| Spectral Type | G5 IV |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,509 K |
| Stellar Radius | 2.6600 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.3900 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 5.847 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.060 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.300 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 7.580 · G: 7.395 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 3.340000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1888 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 19.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.18500 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 63.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 10.48 g/cm³ (191.2 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.5110 S⊕ (~695 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 306.000 LY (93.808 pc) |