HD 126614 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 126614 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 126614, located approximately 238.4 light-years (73.1 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2009 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 12.7 Earth radii (1.13 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 107.744 Earth masses (0.34 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.29 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.67 g⊕ (6.57 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 32.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 126614, HD 126614 b completes one full revolution every 1257.253 Earth days (3.44Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 2.249 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 19.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.548, swinging from 1.0165 AU at periapsis out to 3.4815 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 12.700 R⊕, HD 126614 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 126614 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G8 IV with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,568 K, a radius of 1.3698 R☉, a mass of 0.96 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.618 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7.2 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.56 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 126614 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 8.81 (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 126614 |
| Spectral Type | G8 IV |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,568 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.3698 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.618 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.560 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.200 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 8.810 · G: 8.619 |
| System Architecture | 3 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 2.249000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1257.253 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 19.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.54800 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 97.4770° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.29 g/cm³ (32.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.2392 S⊕ (~326 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 238.400 LY (73.096 pc) |