Gliese 832 b

Gliese 832 b, also known as Gl 832 b or GJ 832 b, is a special kind of planet called a gas giant. It is very similar in size to Jupiter, the biggest planet in our solar system. This planet does not lie in our solar system, though—it is far away, about 16.2 light-years from the Sun.

Gliese 832 b orbits a small, cool star called a red dwarf, named Gliese 832. This star is located in a part of the sky called the constellation of Grus, which means "the crane." Since it is an exoplanet, Gliese 832 b is a planet that orbits a star different from our Sun.

Scientists discovered Gliese 832 b because it has a strong effect on its star, making the star wobble slightly. By watching this wobble, astronomers could figure out that a big planet was pulling on the star with its gravity. Studying planets like Gliese 832 b helps us learn about how planets form and what other solar systems might be like.

Orbit

The planet Gliese 832 b takes 10.5 years to revolve around its star, staying at a distance of 3.7 AU. When it was found, it had the longest orbit of any Jupiter-like planet known to circle a red dwarf star. The faint star it orbits appears as bright from that distance as our Sun would if seen from 80 AU, which is 100 times brighter than a full Moon looks from Earth.

Discovery

The planet Gliese 832 b was discovered at the Anglo-Australian Observatory on September 1, 2008. It was found using a method called astrometric observation, which looks at small changes in the position of its star. Later studies in 2011, 2014, and 2022 helped confirm and refine the details of its orbit. In 2023, two studies used astrometry again to learn more about the planet's true mass, showing it is close to the size of Jupiter.