HD 4760 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 4760 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 4760, located approximately 1754.3 light-years (537.87 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Multiple Observatories using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 12.3 Earth radii (1.1 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 4417.837 Earth masses (13.9 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 13.09 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 29.2 g⊕ (286.35 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 212 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 4760, HD 4760 b completes one full revolution every 434 Earth days (1.19Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.14 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 28.6 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.23 carries the world between 0.8778 AU at periapsis and 1.4022 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1199 K (+926°C / +1699°F) and receiving 654.92 S⊕ (~891,350 W/m²), HD 4760 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star HD 4760 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K2 with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,076 K, a radius of 42.4 R☉, a mass of 1.05 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 445.203 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.91 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 4760 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 7.51 (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 Observatories · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 4760 |
| Spectral Type | K2 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,076 K |
| Stellar Radius | 42.4000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0500 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 445.203 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.910 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 7.510 · G: 6.985 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.140000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 434 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 28.6 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.23000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 13.09 g/cm³ (212 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 654.9231 S⊕ (~891,350 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1754.300 LY (537.873 pc) |