HIP 54597 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HIP 54597 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HIP 54597, located approximately 129.6 light-years (39.74 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2023 by La Silla Observatory 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 762.788 Earth masses (2.4 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.79 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 4.31 g⊕ (42.27 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 84.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HIP 54597, HIP 54597 b completes one full revolution every 3274 Earth days (8.96Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 4 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 13.3 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.03 (ranging from 3.88 AU at periapsis to 4.12 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
❄️ Thermal Regime (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 94 K (-179°C / -290°F) and an incident flux of 0.01 S⊕ (~19 W/m²), surface water and volatile species on HIP 54597 b would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star HIP 54597 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K5 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,799 K, a radius of 0.66 R☉, a mass of 0.8 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.207 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.3 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.22 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, HIP 54597 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 9.83 (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: La Silla Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HIP 54597 |
| Spectral Type | K5 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,799 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.6600 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8000 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.207 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.220 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.300 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 9.830 · G: 9.483 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 4.000000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3274 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 13.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.03000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 116.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.79 g/cm³ (84.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0143 S⊕ (~19 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 129.600 LY (39.743 pc) |