CoRoT-16 b
CoRoT-16 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the G5 V star CoRoT-16 in the constellation Scutum. It lies about 2,389 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2011 using the transit method.
How Big Is CoRoT-16 b?
CoRoT-16 b has a radius of 13.11 times that of Earth, or 1.17 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 170 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.44 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is CoRoT-16 b in the Habitable Zone?
CoRoT-16 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of CoRoT-16. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of CoRoT-16: 0.860–2.034 AU (conservative: 1.090–1.929 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 ›
Orbit and Year Length
A year on CoRoT-16 b — one full orbit around CoRoT-16 — lasts 5.35 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.062 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.33), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was CoRoT-16 b Discovered?
CoRoT-16 b was discovered in 2011 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-16 b?
CoRoT-16 b is 2,388.8 light-years (732.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 2,389 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 42,042,880 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-16 b scores 0.08, ranking #4,698 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: CoRoT-16
CoRoT-16
- Spectral type
- G5 V
- Surface temperature
- 5,650 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.10 M☉
- Radius
- 1.19 R☉
- Age
- 6.7 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
CoRoT-16 b is the only planet known to orbit CoRoT-16 so far.
CoRoT-16 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 13.110 Earth radii (1.170 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 170.03 Earth masses (0.535 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.44 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 5.35 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.062 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.330 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.08 |
| Distance from Earth | 2,388.8 light-years (732.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Scutum |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | CoRoT |
| Discovery year | 2011 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About CoRoT-16 b
Is CoRoT-16 b habitable?
No — CoRoT-16 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is CoRoT-16 b?
CoRoT-16 b is about 2,389 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scutum. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 42,042,880 years to get there.
How big is CoRoT-16 b compared to Earth?
CoRoT-16 b has 13.11 times the radius of Earth and about 170 times its mass.
How long is a year on CoRoT-16 b?
One orbit around CoRoT-16 takes 5.4 Earth days — short enough that 68 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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