HD 81040

HD 81040 is a G-type main-sequence star located approximately 109 light-years away in the constellation Lynx. It is slightly more massive and luminous than the Sun.

Properties: HD 81040 is classified as a G0V star, indicating it is a yellow dwarf star similar to our Sun, fusing hydrogen into helium in its core. Its surface temperature is estimated to be around 5,900 Kelvin. Spectroscopic analysis suggests its metallicity is slightly higher than that of the Sun.

Planetary System: In 2005, a gas giant extrasolar planet, designated HD 81040 b, was discovered orbiting the star. This planet has a mass at least 6.84 times that of Jupiter and orbits its star at a distance of approximately 1.94 astronomical units (AU) with a period of about 1,000 days. The discovery was made using the radial velocity method, which detects the wobble in a star's motion caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet.

Significance: HD 81040 is of interest to astronomers due to the presence of an exoplanet. The system contributes to the broader understanding of planet formation and the diversity of planetary systems beyond our own solar system. Studies of the star and its planet continue to refine our knowledge of stellar and planetary properties.