51 Eri is a Sun-like F-type star (about 1.75 solar masses, 7,422 K), 97 light-years from Earth. 51 Eridani b is a young, methane-rich Jupiter analog imaged directly inside a debris disk. 51 Eri b is a 10.9-Jupiter-mass companion, with an orbital period of 24.9 years, at 10.4 AU from its star, on an eccentric orbit (e ≈ 0.57), discovered in 2015 via direct imaging. Direct imaging revealed these planets because they are young, massive, and widely separated from their star, appearing bright in infrared light against the glare. The planet's marked eccentricity suggests past scattering events or perturbations from unseen companions.

51 Eri - System

Loading scenario…