HIP 94235 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HIP 94235 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star HIP 94235, located approximately 190.8 light-years (58.52 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2022 by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0649% across the stellar disk), this world measures 3 Earth radii (0.27 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 379 Earth masses (1.19 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 77.4 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 42.11 g⊕ (412.96 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 125.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HIP 94235, HIP 94235 b completes one full revolution every 7.713 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0787 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 111 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.32, swinging from 0.0535 AU at periapsis out to 0.1039 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1060 K (+787°C / +1449°F) and receiving 219.28 S⊕ (~298,446 W/m²), HIP 94235 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star HIP 94235 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,991 K, a radius of 1.08 R☉, a mass of 1.094 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.348 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.118 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, HIP 94235 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 8.31 (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: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HIP 94235 |
| Spectral Type | G V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,991 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.0800 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0940 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.348 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.000 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.118 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 8.310 · G: 8.160 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.078700 AU |
| Orbital Period | 7.713 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 111 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.32000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 87.1400° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 77.4 g/cm³ (125.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 219.2841 S⊕ (~298,446 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 190.800 LY (58.515 pc) |