HIP 97233 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
HIP 97233 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star HIP 97233, located approximately 333.6 light-years (102.28 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by Multiple Observatories using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 12.1 Earth radii (1.08 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 6098.174 Earth masses (19.19 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 18.98 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 41.65 g⊕ (408.45 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 251.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around HIP 97233, HIP 97233 b completes one full revolution every 1062.265 Earth days (2.91Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 2.491 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 25.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.63, swinging from 0.9217 AU at periapsis out to 4.0603 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 354 K (+81°C / +178°F) and receiving 2.58 S⊕ (~3,508 W/m²), HIP 97233 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star HIP 97233 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K0/1 III with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,020 K, a radius of 5.34 R☉, a mass of 1.81 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 16.248 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.29 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, HIP 97233 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 7.34 (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: Multiple Observatories · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | HIP 97233 |
| Spectral Type | K0/1 III |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,020 K |
| Stellar Radius | 5.3400 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.8100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 16.248 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.290 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 7.340 · G: 7.070 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 2.491000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1062.265 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 25.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.63000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.0830° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 18.98 g/cm³ (251.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2.5778 S⊕ (~3,508 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 333.600 LY (102.275 pc) |