HD 16760 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 16760 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 16760, located approximately 163.7 light-years (50.18 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2009 by Multiple Facilities using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 12.1 Earth radii (1.08 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 6833.311 Earth masses (21.5 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 21.27 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 46.67 g⊕ (457.68 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 265.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 16760, HD 16760 b completes one full revolution every 466.08 Earth days (1.28Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.156 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 27 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.079 carries the world between 1.0647 AU at periapsis and 1.2473 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 12.100 R⊕, HD 16760 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 16760 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G5 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,518 K, a radius of 0.835 R☉, a mass of 0.93 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.58 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.067 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 16760 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 8.7 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) in the Northern 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: Multiple Facilities · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 16760 |
| Spectral Type | G5 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,518 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8350 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9300 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.58 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.067 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 8.700 · G: 8.555 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.156000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 466.08 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 27 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.07900 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 43.3000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 21.27 g/cm³ (265.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.5388 S⊕ (~733 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 163.700 LY (50.176 pc) |