CoRoT-7 b
CoRoT-7 b is a super-Earth orbiting CoRoT-7 in the constellation Monoceros. It lies about 522 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the transit method.
How Big Is CoRoT-7 b?
CoRoT-7 b has a radius of 1.68 times that of Earth. Its mass is 4.1 times that of Earth.
Is CoRoT-7 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of CoRoT-7 b relative to the habitable zone of CoRoT-7 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of CoRoT-7: 0.534–1.279 AU (conservative: 0.677–1.212 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-7 b — one full orbit around CoRoT-7 — lasts just 20.5 hours, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was CoRoT-7 b Discovered?
CoRoT-7 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-7 b?
CoRoT-7 b is 521.5 light-years (159.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1505. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 9,178,400 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-7 b scores 0.27, ranking #2,578 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: CoRoT-7
CoRoT-7
- Surface temperature
- 5,275 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.82 M☉
- Radius
- 0.83 R☉
The CoRoT-7 Planetary System
CoRoT-7 b is one of 3 known planets in the CoRoT-7 system. Its siblings:
CoRoT-7 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.681 Earth radii (0.150 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 4.08 Earth masses (0.013 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 0.85 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.27 |
| Distance from Earth | 521.5 light-years (159.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Monoceros |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | CoRoT |
| Discovery year | 2009 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2020-11-13. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About CoRoT-7 b
Is CoRoT-7 b habitable?
CoRoT-7 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of CoRoT-7, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is CoRoT-7 b?
CoRoT-7 b is about 522 light-years from Earth in the constellation Monoceros. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 9,178,400 years to get there.
How big is CoRoT-7 b compared to Earth?
CoRoT-7 b has 1.68 times the radius of Earth and about 4.1 times its mass.
How long is a year on CoRoT-7 b?
One orbit around CoRoT-7 takes 0.9 Earth days — short enough that 428 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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