CoRoT-12 b
CoRoT-12 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting CoRoT-12 in the constellation Monoceros. It lies about 3,674 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2010 using the transit method.
How Big Is CoRoT-12 b?
CoRoT-12 b has a radius of 16.14 times that of Earth, or 1.44 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 291 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.41 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is CoRoT-12 b in the Habitable Zone?
CoRoT-12 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of CoRoT-12. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of CoRoT-12: 0.813–1.921 AU (conservative: 1.030–1.821 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on CoRoT-12 b
The equilibrium temperature of CoRoT-12 b is about 1,442 K (1,169 °C) — hot enough to melt many metals. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on CoRoT-12 b — one full orbit around CoRoT-12 — lasts 2.83 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.040 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.07).
How Was CoRoT-12 b Discovered?
CoRoT-12 b was discovered in 2010 using the transit method, with observations from CoRoT.
The transit method watches a star for the tiny, regular dip in brightness that occurs when a planet crosses in front of it. The depth and timing of these dips reveal the planet's size and orbital period.
How Far Away Is CoRoT-12 b?
CoRoT-12 b is 3,673.7 light-years (1,126.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 3,674 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 64,657,120 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. CoRoT-12 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,185 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: CoRoT-12
CoRoT-12
- Surface temperature
- 5,675 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.08 M☉
- Radius
- 1.12 R☉
- Age
- 6.3 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
CoRoT-12 b is the only planet known to orbit CoRoT-12 so far.
CoRoT-12 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 16.140 Earth radii (1.440 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 291.44 Earth masses (0.917 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.41 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 2.83 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.040 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.070 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,442 K (1,169 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 3,673.7 light-years (1,126.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Monoceros |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | CoRoT |
| Discovery year | 2010 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About CoRoT-12 b
Is CoRoT-12 b habitable?
No — CoRoT-12 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is CoRoT-12 b?
CoRoT-12 b is about 3,674 light-years from Earth in the constellation Monoceros. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 64,657,120 years to get there.
How big is CoRoT-12 b compared to Earth?
CoRoT-12 b has 16.14 times the radius of Earth and about 291 times its mass.
How long is a year on CoRoT-12 b?
One orbit around CoRoT-12 takes 2.8 Earth days — short enough that 129 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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