mu2 Sco b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
mu2 Sco b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star mu2 Sco. First announced in 2022 by Paranal Observatory using the Imaging detection technique (resolved directly via high-contrast coronagraphic or interferometric imaging), this world measures 12.3 Earth radii (1.1 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 4576.729 Earth masses (14.4 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 13.56 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 30.25 g⊕ (296.65 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 215.8 km/s.
The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.56, swinging from 106.656 AU at periapsis out to 378.144 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
❄️ Thermal Regime (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 159 K (-114°C / -173°F) and an incident flux of 0.11 S⊕ (~146 W/m²), surface water and volatile species on mu2 Sco b would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star mu2 Sco is classified as a massive B-type star of spectral type B2 IV with an effective photospheric temperature of 21,700 K, a radius of 5.6 R☉, a mass of 9.1 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 6238.854 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.02 Gyr. From Earth, mu2 Sco shines at apparent V-band magnitude 3.56 (visible to the unaided human eye under dark skies) 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: Paranal Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | mu2 Sco |
| Spectral Type | B2 IV |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 21,700 K |
| Stellar Radius | 5.6000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 9.1000 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 6238.854 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | — |
| Stellar Age | 0.020 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 3.560 · G: 3.536 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 242.400000 AU |
| Orbital Period | — |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.56000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 96.6000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 13.56 g/cm³ (215.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.1074 S⊕ (~146 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | — |