HD 4208 b

HD 4208 b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the yellow dwarf orbiting HD 4208. Due to its mass is assumed that it is a gas planet.

Discovery

The planet was discovered by the California and Carnegie Planet Search Team using the Keck telescope using the radial velocity method. The discovery was published by Steven Vogt, R. Paul Butler, Geoffrey Marcy and other employees in 2001.

Web properties

The planet orbits its star at a distance of approximately 1.65 astronomical units. Its orbit corresponds in terms of distance as that of Mars around the Sun. The eccentricity is very small, and thus the nearly circular orbit with about 0.05. The orbital period is about 800 Earth days.

Physical Properties

The planet probably has a slightly lower mass than Jupiter, even though only a minimum mass can be determined. The minimum mass is about 0.80 Jupiter masses (about 260 Earth masses ).

It is estimated that there is on the planet's surface has a temperature of about 140 Kelvin ( - 130 ° C), such as on Saturn.

Since probably prevail on both the planet itself as well as any existing moons too low temperatures, is well covered for life only under any underground or from a patch of ice oceans a chance. Jupiter's moon Europa might have such oceans. Whether that is true and if there is any life at all possible, the future must show.