HD 27631 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 27631 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 27631, located approximately 164 light-years (50.29 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2012 by La Silla Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 13.5 Earth radii (1.2 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 495.812 Earth masses (1.56 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.11 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.72 g⊕ (26.67 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 67.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 27631, HD 27631 b completes one full revolution every 2198.14 Earth days (6.02Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 3.242 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 16 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.141 carries the world between 2.7849 AU at periapsis and 3.6991 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
❄️ Thermal Regime (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 148 K (-125°C / -193°F) and an incident flux of 0.08 S⊕ (~114 W/m²), surface water and volatile species on HD 27631 b would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star HD 27631 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G3 IV/V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,737 K, a radius of 0.923 R☉, a mass of 0.944 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.828 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.01 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.12 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 27631 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 8.26 (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: La Silla Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 27631 |
| Spectral Type | G3 IV/V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,737 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9230 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9440 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.828 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.120 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.010 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 8.260 · G: 8.085 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 3.242000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2198.14 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 16 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.14100 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 74.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.11 g/cm³ (67.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0836 S⊕ (~114 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 164.000 LY (50.286 pc) |