HD 96127 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 96127 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 96127, located approximately 1916.7 light-years (587.66 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2011 by McDonald Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 13 Earth radii (1.16 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 1207.748 Earth masses (3.8 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.03 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 7.15 g⊕ (70.12 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 107.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 96127, HD 96127 b completes one full revolution every 638.9 Earth days (1.75Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.41 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 24 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.3, swinging from 0.987 AU at periapsis out to 1.833 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 947 K (+674°C / +1245°F) and receiving 364.39 S⊕ (~495,929 W/m²), HD 96127 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star HD 96127 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K2 III with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,943 K, a radius of 35 R☉, a mass of 0.91 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 265.664 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.067 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.24 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 96127 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 7.405 (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: McDonald Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 96127 |
| Spectral Type | K2 III |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,943 K |
| Stellar Radius | 35.0000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 265.664 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.240 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.067 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 7.405 · G: 6.882 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.410000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 638.9 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 24 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.30000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.9000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 3.03 g/cm³ (107.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 364.3861 S⊕ (~495,929 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1916.700 LY (587.659 pc) |