HD 45652 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 45652 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 45652, located approximately 113.7 light-years (34.85 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2008 by Haute-Provence Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 14.3 Earth radii (1.28 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 137.62 Earth masses (0.43 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.26 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.67 g⊕ (6.57 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 34.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 45652, HD 45652 b completes one full revolution every 44.073 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.237 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 58.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.607, swinging from 0.0931 AU at periapsis out to 0.3809 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 508 K (+235°C / +455°F) and receiving 11.23 S⊕ (~15,288 W/m²), HD 45652 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star HD 45652 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G8/K0 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,294 K, a radius of 0.94 R☉, a mass of 0.92 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.623 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 8.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.26 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 45652 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 8.1 (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: Haute-Provence Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 45652 |
| Spectral Type | G8/K0 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,294 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9400 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9200 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.623 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.260 dex |
| Stellar Age | 8.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 8.100 · G: 7.912 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.237000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 44.073 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 58.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.60700 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.26 g/cm³ (34.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 11.2332 S⊕ (~15,288 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 113.700 LY (34.854 pc) |