HD 30562 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 30562 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 30562, located approximately 85.3 light-years (26.16 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2009 by Lick Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 13.6 Earth radii (1.21 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 467.208 Earth masses (1.47 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.02 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.53 g⊕ (24.81 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 65.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 30562, HD 30562 b completes one full revolution every 1157 Earth days (3.17Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 2.34 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 22 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.76, swinging from 0.5616 AU at periapsis out to 4.1184 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 13.600 R⊕, HD 30562 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 30562 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G2 IV with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,882 K, a radius of 1.61 R☉, a mass of 1.12 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.784 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.6 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.2 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 30562 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 5.775 (visible to the unaided human eye under dark skies) 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: Lick Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 30562 |
| Spectral Type | G2 IV |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,882 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.6100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1200 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.784 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.200 dex |
| Stellar Age | 3.600 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 5.775 · G: 5.618 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 2.340000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1157 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 22 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.76000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 65.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.02 g/cm³ (65.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.5147 S⊕ (~701 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 85.300 LY (26.160 pc) |