HD 97048 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HD 97048 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HD 97048, located approximately 599.7 light-years (183.86 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2019 by Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) using the Disk Kinematics detection technique, this world measures 13.3 Earth radii (1.19 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 794.575 Earth masses (2.5 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.86 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 4.49 g⊕ (44.03 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 86.5 km/s.
❄️ Thermal Regime (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 63 K (-210°C / -346°F) and an incident flux of 0.00 S⊕ (~3 W/m²), surface water and volatile species on HD 97048 b would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star HD 97048 is classified as a massive B-type star of spectral type Be9.5/AO with an effective photospheric temperature of 10,000 K, a radius of 2.25 R☉, a mass of 2.4 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 45.421 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.003 Gyr. From Earth, HD 97048 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 8.44 (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: Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HD 97048 |
| Spectral Type | Be9.5/AO |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 10,000 K |
| Stellar Radius | 2.2500 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 2.4000 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 45.421 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | — |
| Stellar Age | 0.003 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 8.440 · G: 8.339 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 130.000000 AU |
| Orbital Period | — |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 40.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.86 g/cm³ (86.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0024 S⊕ (~3 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 599.700 LY (183.857 pc) |