EPIC 249893012 c
EPIC 249893012 c is a sub-Neptune orbiting the G8 IV/V star EPIC 249893012 in the constellation Libra. It lies about 1,048 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2020 using the transit method.
How Big Is EPIC 249893012 c?
EPIC 249893012 c has a radius of 3.67 times that of Earth. Its mass is 14.7 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 1.62 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is EPIC 249893012 c in the Habitable Zone?
EPIC 249893012 c orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of EPIC 249893012. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of EPIC 249893012: 1.157–2.753 AU (conservative: 1.465–2.610 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 ›
Temperature on EPIC 249893012 c
The equilibrium temperature of EPIC 249893012 c is about 990 K (717 °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. It receives 160 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on EPIC 249893012 c — one full orbit around EPIC 249893012 — lasts 15.6 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.130 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.07).
How Was EPIC 249893012 c Discovered?
EPIC 249893012 c was discovered in 2020 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 249893012 c?
EPIC 249893012 c is 1,047.9 light-years (321.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,048 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 18,443,040 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 249893012 c scores 0.19, ranking #3,934 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: EPIC 249893012
EPIC 249893012
- Spectral type
- G8 IV/V
- Surface temperature
- 5,430 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.05 M☉
- Radius
- 1.71 R☉
- Age
- 9.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The EPIC 249893012 Planetary System
EPIC 249893012 c is one of 3 known planets in the EPIC 249893012 system. Its siblings:
- EPIC 249893012 b (Lava World)
- EPIC 249893012 d (Puffy Planet)
EPIC 249893012 c — Complete Data
| Radius | 3.670 Earth radii (0.327 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 14.67 Earth masses (0.046 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 1.62 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 15.62 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.130 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.070 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 990 K (717 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 160.00× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.19 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,047.9 light-years (321.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Libra |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | K2 |
| Discovery year | 2020 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2020-02-06. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About EPIC 249893012 c
Is EPIC 249893012 c habitable?
No — EPIC 249893012 c orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is EPIC 249893012 c?
EPIC 249893012 c is about 1,048 light-years from Earth in the constellation Libra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 18,443,040 years to get there.
How big is EPIC 249893012 c compared to Earth?
EPIC 249893012 c has 3.67 times the radius of Earth and about 14.7 times its mass.
How long is a year on EPIC 249893012 c?
One orbit around EPIC 249893012 takes 15.6 Earth days — short enough that 23 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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