COCONUTS-2 b
COCONUTS-2 b is a cold gas giant orbiting COCONUTS-2 A in the constellation Chamaeleon. It lies about 36 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2021 using the imaging method.
How Big Is COCONUTS-2 b?
COCONUTS-2 b has a radius of 12.58 times that of Earth, or 1.12 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 2,384 times that of Earth.
Is COCONUTS-2 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of COCONUTS-2 b relative to the habitable zone of COCONUTS-2 A cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of COCONUTS-2 A: 0.113–0.292 AU (conservative: 0.143–0.277 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
See the full interactive habitable-zone view in the Exoplanet Explorer app ›
Temperature on COCONUTS-2 b
The equilibrium temperature of COCONUTS-2 b is about 493 K (220 °C) — hotter than anywhere on Earth. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C.
How Was COCONUTS-2 b Discovered?
COCONUTS-2 b was discovered in 2021 using the imaging method, with observations from NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF).
Direct imaging captures actual pictures of a planet by blocking out the overwhelming glare of its host star. It works best for young, hot, massive planets on wide orbits.
How Far Away Is COCONUTS-2 b?
COCONUTS-2 b is 35.5 light-years (10.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1991. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 624,800 years to make the journey.
Earth Similarity Index
The Earth Similarity Index (ESI) scores how physically similar a planet is to Earth, from 0 to 1, based on radius, density, escape velocity and surface temperature. COCONUTS-2 b scores 0.07, ranking #4,907 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: COCONUTS-2 A
COCONUTS-2 A
- Surface temperature
- 3,552 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.40 M☉
- Radius
- 0.37 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.0191 L☉
- Age
- 0.4 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
COCONUTS-2 b is the only planet known to orbit COCONUTS-2 A so far.
COCONUTS-2 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 12.576 Earth radii (1.122 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 2,383.71 Earth masses (7.500 Jupiter masses) |
| Equilibrium temperature | 493 K (220 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 35.5 light-years (10.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Chamaeleon |
| Discovery method | Imaging |
| Discovery facility | NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) |
| Discovery year | 2021 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2026-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About COCONUTS-2 b
Is COCONUTS-2 b habitable?
COCONUTS-2 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of COCONUTS-2 A, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is COCONUTS-2 b?
COCONUTS-2 b is about 36 light-years from Earth in the constellation Chamaeleon. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 624,800 years to get there.
How big is COCONUTS-2 b compared to Earth?
COCONUTS-2 b has 12.58 times the radius of Earth and about 2,384 times its mass.
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