Jupiter analogue

Jupiter is a gas giant. It is the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.

Jupiter analogues, also known as Jupiter-like planets, are exoplanets that are similar to the planet Jupiter, the fifth and largest planet in the solar system. They are often defined as planets that has at least 1 Jupiter mass or larger and orbits its host star at a distance 3 to 12 astronomical units (AU), roughly one to a few times that of the systems snow line. The lower limit of mass for Jupiter-like planets is not well defined as it can be as low of 0.8-0.3 Jupiter masses to include planets like Saturn.^[1]

Formation and evolution

Artistic rendering of a young gas giant HD 100546.

While the exact formation of Jupiter-like exoplanets are not known,^[2] models of gas giant planet formation predict that Jupiter-like planets should easily form around stars similar to our Sun through core-accretion mechanisms. This therefore should make planets similar to Jupiter a common occurrence in the universe with roughly 6-20% of Sun-like stars having Jupiter-like planets. But this number varies from low rates like 6.9% to higher rates like 25%.^{[1][clarification needed]} It has been found that Jupiter analogues are very rare in mid to late type M-dwarf stars with 0.1-0.3 solar masses.^[3] There has been some detections of Jupiter-like planets around red dwarf stars such as TOI-4860b with 0.67 Jupiter masses.^[4]

The time it takes for form Jupiter-like planets is typically 3-5 million years but some estimates place the formation of Jupiter-like exoplanets to around 1-2 million years.^[5]

Effect on their systems

A simulation model of the Nice model of solar system evolution. It involves the rapid migration of the gas giants and the ice giant planets. This had profound effect on the structure of the modern solar system.

Jupiter has played a major role in the evolution of our Solar system, determining much of its structure and the configuration of solar system bodies. It is likely that Jupiter-like exoplanets play a similar role in their systems.^[2]

Examples

HIP 11915

With their common occurrence and their increased chance of detection, there are many exoplanets discovered that have been classed as Jupiter analogues.^{[citation needed]}

Kepler-167e is a exoplanet orbiting the K-type main sequence star Kepler-167. It’s mass and radius is very similar to Jupiter with about 1 Jupiter masses and 0.9 Jupiter radii.^[6] Around the young F-type main sequence star 51 Eridani, there is a Jupiter-like planet named 51 Eridani b. This exoplanet has been directly imaged.^[7]

References

1. Gratton, Raffaele; Mesa, Dino; Bonavita, Mariangela; Zurlo, Alice; Marino, Sebastian; Kervella, Pierre; Desidera, Silvano; D’Orazi, Valentina; Rigliaco, Elisabetta (2023-10-17). "Jupiter-like planets might be common in a low-density environment". Nature Communications. 14 (1): 6232. arXiv:2310.11190. Bibcode:2023NatCo..14.6232G. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-41665-0. ISSN 2041-1723.
2. Buchhave, Lars A.; Bitsch, Bertram; Johansen, Anders; Latham, David W.; Bizzarro, Martin; Bieryla, Allyson; Kipping, David M. (March 2018). "Jupiter Analogs Orbit Stars with an Average Metallicity Close to That of the Sun". The Astrophysical Journal. 856 (1): 37. arXiv:1802.06794. Bibcode:2018ApJ...856...37B. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aaafca. ISSN 0004-637X.
3. Cowing, Keith (2023-06-14). "Mid-to-Late M Dwarfs Lack Jupiter Analogs". Astrobiology. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
4. Triaud, Amaury H M J; Dransfield, Georgina; Kagetani, Taiki; Timmermans, Mathilde; Narita, Norio; Barkaoui, Khalid; Hirano, Teruyuki; Rackham, Benjamin V; Mori, Mayuko; Baycroft, Thomas; Benkhaldoun, Zouhair; Burgasser, Adam J; Caldwell, Douglas A; Collins, Karen A; Davis, Yasmin T (2023-10-11). "An M dwarf accompanied by a close-in giant orbiter with SPECULOOS". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. 525 (1): L98 – L104. doi:10.1093/mnrasl/slad097. ISSN 1745-3925.
5. Malewar, Amit (2025-03-06). "Gas giant exoplanets formed earlier than previously thought". Tech Explorist. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
6. Changeat, Quentin; Ikoma, Masahiro; Bocchieri, Andrea; Cassese, Ben; Edwards, Billy; Girard, Julien; Ito, Yuichi; Kimura, Tadahiro; Kipping, David Mathew; Ohno, Kazumasa; Pueyo, Laurent; Zak, Jiri (February 2024). "Contextualizing our solar-system: Atmospheric characterization of the Jupiter-analogue Kepler-167e". JWST Proposal. Cycle 3: 5531. Bibcode:2024jwst.prop.5531C.
7. Macintosh, B.; Graham, J. R.; Barman, T.; De Rosa, R. J.; Konopacky, Q.; Marley, M. S.; Marois, C.; Nielsen, E. L.; Pueyo, L.; Rajan, A.; Rameau, J.; Saumon, D.; Wang, J. J.; Patience, J.; Ammons, M. (2015-10-02). "Discovery and spectroscopy of the young jovian planet 51 Eri b with the Gemini Planet Imager". Science. 350 (6256): 64–67. arXiv:1508.03084. Bibcode:2015Sci...350...64M. doi:10.1126/science.aac5891. PMID 26272904.