CoRoT-8 b
CoRoT-8 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the K1 V star CoRoT-8 in the constellation Aquila. It lies about 1,050 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2010 using the transit method.
How Big Is CoRoT-8 b?
CoRoT-8 b has a radius of 6.39 times that of Earth, or 0.57 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 69.9 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 1.60 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is CoRoT-8 b in the Habitable Zone?
CoRoT-8 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of CoRoT-8. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of CoRoT-8: 0.464–1.119 AU (conservative: 0.588–1.061 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-8 b — one full orbit around CoRoT-8 — lasts 6.21 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.063 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was CoRoT-8 b Discovered?
CoRoT-8 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-8 b?
CoRoT-8 b is 1,050.3 light-years (322.0 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,050 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 18,485,280 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-8 b scores 0.14, ranking #4,264 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: CoRoT-8
CoRoT-8
- Spectral type
- K1 V
- Surface temperature
- 5,080 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.88 M☉
- Radius
- 0.77 R☉
- Age
- 3.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
CoRoT-8 b is the only planet known to orbit CoRoT-8 so far.
CoRoT-8 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 6.390 Earth radii (0.570 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 69.92 Earth masses (0.220 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 1.60 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 6.21 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.063 AU |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.14 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,050.3 light-years (322.0 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Aquila |
| 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-8 b
Is CoRoT-8 b habitable?
No — CoRoT-8 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is CoRoT-8 b?
CoRoT-8 b is about 1,050 light-years from Earth in the constellation Aquila. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 18,485,280 years to get there.
How big is CoRoT-8 b compared to Earth?
CoRoT-8 b has 6.39 times the radius of Earth and about 69.9 times its mass.
How long is a year on CoRoT-8 b?
One orbit around CoRoT-8 takes 6.2 Earth days — short enough that 59 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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