GJ 160.2 b
GJ 160.2 b is a Neptune-like planet orbiting the M0 V star GJ 160.2 in the constellation Eridanus. It lies about 84 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the radial velocity method.
Is GJ 160.2 b in the Habitable Zone?
GJ 160.2 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of GJ 160.2. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of GJ 160.2: 0.321–0.800 AU (conservative: 0.407–0.758 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Orbit and Year Length
A year on GJ 160.2 b — one full orbit around GJ 160.2 — lasts 5.24 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.053 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.06).
How Was GJ 160.2 b Discovered?
GJ 160.2 b was discovered in 2014 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Multiple Observatories.
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 160.2 b?
GJ 160.2 b is 84.3 light-years (25.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1942. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,483,680 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 160.2 b scores 0.22, ranking #3,586 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: GJ 160.2
GJ 160.2
- Spectral type
- M0 V
- Surface temperature
- 4,347 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.69 M☉
- Luminosity
- 0.1600 L☉
Planetary System
GJ 160.2 b is the only planet known to orbit GJ 160.2 so far.
GJ 160.2 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 10.20 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 5.24 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.053 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.060 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.22 |
| Distance from Earth | 84.3 light-years (25.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Eridanus |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2014 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-10-04. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About GJ 160.2 b
Is GJ 160.2 b habitable?
No — GJ 160.2 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is GJ 160.2 b?
GJ 160.2 b is about 84 light-years from Earth in the constellation Eridanus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,483,680 years to get there.
How long is a year on GJ 160.2 b?
One orbit around GJ 160.2 takes 5.2 Earth days — short enough that 70 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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