HD 60532 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 60532 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 60532, located approximately 84.7 light-years (25.97 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2008 by La Silla Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 13.8 Earth radii (1.23 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 336.9 Earth masses (1.06 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.71 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.77 g⊕ (17.36 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 55.3 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 60532, HD 60532 b completes one full revolution every 201.9 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.77 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 41.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.26, swinging from 0.5698 AU at periapsis out to 0.9702 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 550 K (+277°C / +531°F) and receiving 16.90 S⊕ (~23,002 W/m²), HD 60532 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star HD 60532 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F6 IV with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,245 K, a radius of 2.57 R☉, a mass of 1.5 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 9.013 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.26 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 60532 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 4.44 (visible to the unaided human eye under dark skies) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The HD 60532 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with HD 60532 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside HD 60532 c.
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 60532 |
| Spectral Type | F6 IV |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,245 K |
| Stellar Radius | 2.5700 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.5000 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 9.013 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.260 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.800 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 4.440 · G: 4.308 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.770000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 201.9 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 41.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.26000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.71 g/cm³ (55.3 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 16.9008 S⊕ (~23,002 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 84.700 LY (25.972 pc) |