HD 114386 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 114386 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 114386, located approximately 91.1 light-years (27.92 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2003 by La Silla Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 13.6 Earth radii (1.21 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 464.029 Earth masses (1.46 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.02 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.51 g⊕ (24.61 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 65.3 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 114386, HD 114386 b completes one full revolution every 937.7 Earth days (2.57Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.73 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 20.1 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.23 carries the world between 1.3321 AU at periapsis and 2.1279 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
❄️ Thermal Regime (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 155 K (-118°C / -180°F) and an incident flux of 0.10 S⊕ (~131 W/m²), surface water and volatile species on HD 114386 b would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star HD 114386 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K3 VC with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,836 K, a radius of 0.76 R☉, a mass of 0.6 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.283 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.05 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, HD 114386 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 8.73 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The HD 114386 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with HD 114386 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside HD 114386 c.
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: La Silla Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 114386 |
| Spectral Type | K3 VC |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,836 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7600 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.6000 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.283 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.050 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 8.730 · G: 8.418 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.730000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 937.7 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 20.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.23000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 57.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.02 g/cm³ (65.3 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0964 S⊕ (~131 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 91.100 LY (27.924 pc) |