Pr0201 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Pr0201 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star Pr0201, located approximately 589.2 light-years (180.64 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2012 by Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 14.2 Earth radii (1.27 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 171.628 Earth masses (0.54 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.33 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.85 g⊕ (8.34 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 38.9 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Pr0201, Pr0201 b completes one full revolution every 4.426 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.06 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 147.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The orbit is modeled as circular (e = 0.00), maintaining a constant stellar distance throughout its year.

⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1303 K (+1030°C / +1886°F) and receiving 487.97 S⊕ (~664,126 W/m²), Pr0201 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Pr0201 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,174 K, a radius of 1.15 R☉, a mass of 1.24 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.724 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.19 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Pr0201 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.445 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

Discovery Facility: Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).