RR Cae b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
RR Cae b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star RR Cae, located approximately 69.1 light-years (21.19 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2012 by Leoncito Astronomical Complex using the Eclipse Timing Variations detection technique, this world measures 13 Earth radii (1.16 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 1334.886 Earth masses (4.2 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.35 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 7.9 g⊕ (77.47 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 113.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around RR Cae, RR Cae b completes one full revolution every 4343.5 Earth days (11.89Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 5.3 AU (a wide outer-system orbit beyond Jupiter's 5.20 AU distance in our Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 13.3 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 (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 36 K (-237°C / -395°F) and an incident flux of 0.00 S⊕ (~0 W/m²), surface water and volatile species on RR Cae b would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star RR Cae is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,904 K, a radius of 0.1931 R☉, a mass of 0.44 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.00777 L☉. From Earth, RR Cae shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.379 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) 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: Leoncito Astronomical Complex · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | RR Cae |
| Spectral Type | M |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,904 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.1931 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.4400 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.00777 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | — |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.379 · G: 13.658 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 5.300000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 4343.5 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 13.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 17.6000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 3.35 g/cm³ (113.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0003 S⊕ (~0 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 69.100 LY (21.192 pc) |