astronomy

Gliese 179 b

Gliese 179 b is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Gliese 179 b rather than just read about it. In short: Gliese 179 b (also known as HIP 22627 b) is an extrasolar planet which orbits the M-type main-sequence star Gliese 179, located approximately 40 light-years away in the constellation Orion. This planet has a minimum mass somewhat less than Jupiter and it orbits at 2.42 AU from the star with an eccentricity slightly less than Pluto.

Key takeaways

Gliese 179 b belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Gliese 179 b to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Gliese 179 b from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Gliese 179 b (also known as HIP 22627 b) is an extrasolar planet which orbits the M-type main-sequence star Gliese 179, located approximately 40 light-years away in the constellation Orion. This planet has a minimum mass somewhat less than Jupiter and it orbits at 2.42 AU from the star with an eccentricity slightly less than Pluto. The planetary distance ranges from 1.90 to 2.92 AU. This planet was discovered by using the radial velocity method from spectrograph taken at Keck Observatory on November 13, 2009. In 2023, the inclination and true mass of Gliese 179 b were determined via astrometry.

See also Other planets that were discovered or confirmed on November 13, 2009:

HD 34445 b HD 126614 Ab HD 13931 b Other giant planets around red dwarfs:

HIP 79431 b Gliese 849 b Gliese 876 b Gliese 876 c Gliese 317 b Gliese 832 b

References

Schneider, Jean (2011). "Notes for Planet Gl 179 b". Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia. Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2011.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Gliese 179 b

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Gliese 179 b claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Gliese 179 b before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Gliese 179 b ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Gliese 179 b

In research: Gliese 179 b appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Gliese 179 b in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Gliese 179 b is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Exoplanet stubs, Exoplanets detected by astrometry, Exoplanets detected by radial velocity, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Gliese 179 b outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Gliese 179 b in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Gliese 179 b means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Gliese 179 b out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Gliese 179 b in simple terms?

Why does Gliese 179 b matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Gliese 179 b?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Gliese 179 b.