HD 160691 e
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 160691 e is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 160691, located approximately 50.9 light-years (15.6 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2006 by La Silla Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world has a minimum or true mass of 2224.799 Earth masses (7 M♃), while its physical transit radius has not yet been geometrically observed.
In its orbital architecture around HD 160691, HD 160691 e completes one full revolution every 307.9 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.96 AU (comparable to the inner terrestrial zone between Venus, Earth at 1.00 AU, and Mars at 1.52 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 33.9 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.0666 carries the world between 0.8961 AU at periapsis and 1.0239 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
ℹ️ Thermal & Atmospheric Regime: Current photometric and spectroscopic constraints for HD 160691 e place it outside the conservative habitable zone definition pending further atmospheric characterization.
The host star HD 160691 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G3 IV-V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,773 K, a radius of 1.33 R☉, a mass of 1.13 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.763 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 5.7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.28 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 160691 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 5.12 (visible to the unaided human eye under dark skies) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The HD 160691 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 4 confirmed worlds, with HD 160691 e sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside HD 160691 d, HD 160691 b, HD 160691 c.
Discovery Facility: La Silla Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 160691 |
| Spectral Type | G3 IV-V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,773 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.3300 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1300 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.763 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.280 dex |
| Stellar Age | 5.700 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 5.120 · G: 4.949 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 4 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.960000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 307.9 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 33.9 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.06660 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 60.0000° |
| Insolation Flux | 2.0603 S⊕ (~2,804 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 50.900 LY (15.598 pc) |