HD 94834 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 94834 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 94834, located approximately 320.2 light-years (98.16 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by W. M. Keck Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 13.7 Earth radii (1.22 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 400.466 Earth masses (1.26 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.86 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.13 g⊕ (20.89 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 60.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 94834, HD 94834 b completes one full revolution every 1576 Earth days (4.31Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 2.74 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 18.9 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.14 carries the world between 2.3564 AU at periapsis and 3.1236 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 13.700 R⊕, HD 94834 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 94834 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K0 with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,798 K, a radius of 4.2 R☉, a mass of 1.11 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 8.387 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.12 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 94834 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 7.6 (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: W. M. Keck Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 94834 |
| Spectral Type | K0 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,798 K |
| Stellar Radius | 4.2000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 8.387 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.120 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 7.600 · G: 7.302 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 2.740000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1576 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 18.9 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.14000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.86 g/cm³ (60.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1.3107 S⊕ (~1,784 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 320.200 LY (98.161 pc) |