FU Tau b
FU Tau b is a exoplanet orbiting the M7.25 star FU Tau in the constellation Taurus. It lies about 435 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2008 using the imaging method.
Is FU Tau b in the Habitable Zone?
FU Tau b orbits beyond the outer edge of the habitable zone of FU Tau. At that distance, any surface water would almost certainly be frozen.
Habitable zone of FU Tau: 0.368–0.986 AU (conservative: 0.467–0.935 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 FU Tau b
The equilibrium temperature of FU Tau b is about 2,375 K (2,102 °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
FU Tau b orbits at an average distance of 800.000 AU.
How Was FU Tau b Discovered?
FU Tau b was discovered in 2008 using the imaging method, with observations from Spitzer Space Telescope.
Direct imaging captures actual pictures of a planet by blocking out the overwhelming glare of its host star. It works best for young, hot, massive planets on wide orbits.
How Far Away Is FU Tau b?
FU Tau b is 435.4 light-years (133.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1591. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 7,663,040 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. FU Tau b scores 0.07, ranking #4,869 of 5,565 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: FU Tau
FU Tau
- Spectral type
- M7.25
- Surface temperature
- 2,838 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.05 M☉
- Luminosity
- 0.2000 L☉
- Age
- 0.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
FU Tau b is the only planet known to orbit FU Tau so far.
FU Tau b — Complete Data
| Mass | 5,085.28 Earth masses (16.000 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital distance | 800.000 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 2,375 K (2,102 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 435.4 light-years (133.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Taurus |
| Discovery method | Imaging |
| Discovery facility | Spitzer Space Telescope |
| Discovery year | 2008 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2016-03-09. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About FU Tau b
Is FU Tau b habitable?
No — FU Tau b orbits outside the habitable zone of FU Tau and is likely too cold for liquid water on its surface.
How far away is FU Tau b?
FU Tau b is about 435 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 7,663,040 years to get there.
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