GJ 1061 d
GJ 1061 d 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. It orbits within the habitable zone of its star — the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface.
Is GJ 1061 d in the Habitable Zone?
GJ 1061 d orbits inside the conservative habitable zone of GJ 1061 — the region where a rocky planet could sustain liquid water on its surface. This makes it one of the most interesting known exoplanets in the search for life.
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 d — one full orbit around GJ 1061 — lasts 13.1 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.054 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.040).
How Was GJ 1061 d Discovered?
GJ 1061 d 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 d?
GJ 1061 d 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 d scores 0.86, ranking #10 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 d is one of 3 known planets in the GJ 1061 system. Its siblings:
GJ 1061 d — Complete Data
| Mass | 1.67 Earth masses (0.005 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 13.07 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.054 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.040 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.86 |
| 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 d
Is GJ 1061 d habitable?
GJ 1061 d orbits within the habitable zone of GJ 1061, the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. It sits in the conservative habitable zone — the most promising region for habitability. Whether it is actually habitable depends on its atmosphere and composition, which remain unknown.
How far away is GJ 1061 d?
GJ 1061 d 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 d?
One orbit around GJ 1061 takes 13.1 Earth days — short enough that 28 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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