CoRoT-6 b
CoRoT-6 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the F9 V star CoRoT-6 in the constellation Ophiuchus. It lies about 2,105 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the transit method.
How Big Is CoRoT-6 b?
CoRoT-6 b has a radius of 13.07 times that of Earth, or 1.17 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 941 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 2.32 g/cm³ — between that of rocky and gaseous planets.
Is CoRoT-6 b in the Habitable Zone?
CoRoT-6 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of CoRoT-6. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of CoRoT-6: 0.838–1.961 AU (conservative: 1.062–1.859 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on CoRoT-6 b
The equilibrium temperature of CoRoT-6 b is about 1,017 K (744 °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-6 b — one full orbit around CoRoT-6 — lasts 8.89 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.086 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.10).
How Was CoRoT-6 b Discovered?
CoRoT-6 b was discovered in 2009 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-6 b?
CoRoT-6 b is 2,104.7 light-years (645.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 2,105 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 37,042,720 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-6 b scores 0.08, ranking #4,774 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: CoRoT-6
CoRoT-6
- Spectral type
- F9 V
- Surface temperature
- 6,090 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.05 M☉
- Radius
- 1.02 R☉
Planetary System
CoRoT-6 b is the only planet known to orbit CoRoT-6 so far.
CoRoT-6 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 13.068 Earth radii (1.166 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 940.74 Earth masses (2.960 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 2.32 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 8.89 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.086 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.100 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,017 K (744 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.08 |
| Distance from Earth | 2,104.7 light-years (645.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Ophiuchus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | CoRoT |
| Discovery year | 2009 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About CoRoT-6 b
Is CoRoT-6 b habitable?
No — CoRoT-6 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is CoRoT-6 b?
CoRoT-6 b is about 2,105 light-years from Earth in the constellation Ophiuchus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 37,042,720 years to get there.
How big is CoRoT-6 b compared to Earth?
CoRoT-6 b has 13.07 times the radius of Earth and about 941 times its mass.
How long is a year on CoRoT-6 b?
One orbit around CoRoT-6 takes 8.9 Earth days — short enough that 41 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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