GJ 1061 b
GJ 1061 b is a terrestrial planet orbiting the M5.5 V star GJ 1061 in the constellation Horologium. It lies about 12 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2020 using the radial velocity method.
Is GJ 1061 b in the Habitable Zone?
GJ 1061 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of GJ 1061. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of GJ 1061: 0.034–0.090 AU (conservative: 0.043–0.086 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 GJ 1061 b — one full orbit around GJ 1061 — lasts 3.21 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.021 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.05).
How Was GJ 1061 b Discovered?
GJ 1061 b was discovered in 2020 using the radial velocity method, with observations from La Silla Observatory.
The radial velocity method measures the subtle wobble of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet, visible as periodic shifts in the star's light spectrum. The size of the wobble reveals the planet's minimum mass.
How Far Away Is GJ 1061 b?
GJ 1061 b is 12.0 light-years (3.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 2014. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 211,200 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. GJ 1061 b scores 0.57, ranking #167 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: GJ 1061
GJ 1061
- Spectral type
- M5.5 V
- Surface temperature
- 2,953 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.12 M☉
- Radius
- 0.16 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.0017 L☉
- Age
- 7.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The GJ 1061 Planetary System
GJ 1061 b is one of 3 known planets in the GJ 1061 system. Its siblings:
GJ 1061 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 1.11 Earth masses (0.003 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 3.21 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.021 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.050 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.57 |
| Distance from Earth | 12.0 light-years (3.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Horologium |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2020 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2026-03-12. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About GJ 1061 b
Is GJ 1061 b habitable?
No — GJ 1061 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is GJ 1061 b?
GJ 1061 b is about 12 light-years from Earth in the constellation Horologium. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 211,200 years to get there.
How long is a year on GJ 1061 b?
One orbit around GJ 1061 takes 3.2 Earth days — short enough that 114 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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