Gliese 758


Gliese 758 is a star in the northern constellation of Lyra. At about magnitude 6 it is a challenge to view with the naked eye even in good seeing conditions, but can be easily seen through a small telescope or binoculars. Parallax measurements from the Hipparcos mission give it an estimated distance of around from Earth.

Properties

This is a Sun-like star with 97% of the Sun's mass and 88% of the radius of the Sun. The spectrum matches a stellar classification of G8V, identifying it as a G-type main sequence star that is generating energy through the nuclear fusion of hydrogen at its core. It is radiating this energy into space from its outer envelope at an effective temperature of. Estimates of its age put it at about 7.7–8.7 billion years old, although some measurements give it an age as low as 720 million years. The abundance of elements other than hydrogen and helium, what astronomers term the star's metallicity, are 51% higher than in the Sun.

System

In November 2009, a team using the HiCIAO instrument of the Subaru Telescope imaged a substellar companion orbiting the star. This object, designated Gliese 758 B, was estimated to be of approximately 10-40 Jupiter masses. A second candidate object was also detected, which was given the designation Gliese 758 C. Follow-up studies of the system suggested the mass range of Gliese 758 B, indicating it to be a companion with approximately 30 to 40 Jupiter masses and revealed that Gliese 758 C is a background star which is not physically associated with the Gliese 758 system. On the other hand, a younger age was suggested from the kinematic stellar grouping.

Orbit

Gliese 758 B is on an eccentric orbit with a semimajor axis of Astronomical units and an orbital period of years, which takes it within 9 astronomical units of its host star at its closest approach.