EPIC 212737443 b
EPIC 212737443 b is a mini-Neptune orbiting the K3 star EPIC 212737443 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 1,097 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2019 using the transit method.
How Big Is EPIC 212737443 b?
EPIC 212737443 b has a radius of 2.59 times that of Earth.
Is EPIC 212737443 b in the Habitable Zone?
EPIC 212737443 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of EPIC 212737443. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of EPIC 212737443: 0.351–0.861 AU (conservative: 0.445–0.816 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on EPIC 212737443 b
The equilibrium temperature of EPIC 212737443 b is about 536 K (263 °C) — hotter than anywhere on Earth. 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 EPIC 212737443 b — one full orbit around EPIC 212737443 — lasts 13.6 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.098 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.20).
How Was EPIC 212737443 b Discovered?
EPIC 212737443 b was discovered in 2019 using the transit method, with observations from K2.
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 EPIC 212737443 b?
EPIC 212737443 b is 1,096.7 light-years (336.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,097 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 19,301,920 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. EPIC 212737443 b scores 0.29, ranking #1,770 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: EPIC 212737443
EPIC 212737443
- Spectral type
- K3
- Surface temperature
- 4,684 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.69 M☉
- Radius
- 0.67 R☉
The EPIC 212737443 Planetary System
EPIC 212737443 b is one of 2 known planets in the EPIC 212737443 system. Its siblings:
- EPIC 212737443 c (Mini Neptune)
EPIC 212737443 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.586 Earth radii (0.231 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 13.60 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.098 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.200 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 536 K (263 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.29 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,096.7 light-years (336.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | K2 |
| Discovery year | 2019 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-07-19. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About EPIC 212737443 b
Is EPIC 212737443 b habitable?
No — EPIC 212737443 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is EPIC 212737443 b?
EPIC 212737443 b is about 1,097 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 19,301,920 years to get there.
How big is EPIC 212737443 b compared to Earth?
EPIC 212737443 b has 2.59 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on EPIC 212737443 b?
One orbit around EPIC 212737443 takes 13.6 Earth days — short enough that 27 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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