HD 196050 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 196050 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 196050, located approximately 165.3 light-years (50.67 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2002 by Anglo-Australian Telescope using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 12.9 Earth radii (1.15 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 1493.794 Earth masses (4.7 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.84 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 8.98 g⊕ (88.06 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 120.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 196050, HD 196050 b completes one full revolution every 1392 Earth days (3.81Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 2.65 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 20.7 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.2 carries the world between 2.12 AU at periapsis and 3.18 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 12.900 R⊕, HD 196050 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 196050 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G3 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,879 K, a radius of 1.42 R☉, a mass of 1.27 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.161 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.3 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.229 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 196050 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 7.5 (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: Anglo-Australian Telescope · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 196050 |
| Spectral Type | G3 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,879 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.4200 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.161 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.229 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.300 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 7.500 · G: 7.341 |
| System Architecture | 3 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 2.650000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1392 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 20.7 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.20000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 42.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 3.84 g/cm³ (120.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.2591 S⊕ (~353 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 165.300 LY (50.674 pc) |