HD 96167 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 96167 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 96167, located approximately 278.2 light-years (85.3 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2009 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 14 Earth radii (1.25 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 227.884 Earth masses (0.72 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.46 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.16 g⊕ (11.38 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 45.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HD 96167, HD 96167 b completes one full revolution every 498.04 Earth days (1.36Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.332 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 29.1 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.685, swinging from 0.4196 AU at periapsis out to 2.2444 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 14.000 R⊕, HD 96167 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 96167 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G5 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,733 K, a radius of 1.94 R☉, a mass of 1.27 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.648 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.85 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.34 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HD 96167 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 8.09 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) in the Southern 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 96167 |
| Spectral Type | G5 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,733 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.9400 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 3.648 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.340 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.850 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 8.090 · G: 7.928 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.332000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 498.04 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 29.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.68500 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.46 g/cm³ (45.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2.0941 S⊕ (~2,850 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 278.200 LY (85.301 pc) |