HD 62509 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 62509 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 62509, located approximately 33.7 light-years (10.34 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2006 by Multiple Observatories using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 13.3 Earth radii (1.19 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 731 Earth masses (2.3 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.71 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 4.13 g⊕ (40.5 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 82.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 62509, HD 62509 b completes one full revolution every 589.64 Earth days (1.61Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.64 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 30.3 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.02 (ranging from 1.6072 AU at periapsis to 1.6728 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 550 K (+277°C / +531°F) and receiving 15.22 S⊕ (~20,710 W/m²), HD 62509 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star HD 62509 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K0IIIvar with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,893 K, a radius of 8.9 R☉, a mass of 2 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 40.735 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.98 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.103 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 62509 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 1.125 (visible to the unaided human eye under dark skies) 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 62509 |
| Spectral Type | K0IIIvar |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,893 K |
| Stellar Radius | 8.9000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 2.0000 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 40.735 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.103 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.980 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 1.125 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.640000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 589.64 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 30.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.02000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.71 g/cm³ (82.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 15.2164 S⊕ (~20,710 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 33.700 LY (10.340 pc) |