GJ 3634 b
GJ 3634 b is a super-Earth orbiting the M2.5 star GJ 3634 in the constellation Hydra. It lies about 67 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2010 using the radial velocity method.
Is GJ 3634 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of GJ 3634 b relative to the habitable zone of GJ 3634 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on GJ 3634 b — one full orbit around GJ 3634 — lasts 2.65 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.029 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.08).
How Was GJ 3634 b Discovered?
GJ 3634 b was discovered in 2010 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 3634 b?
GJ 3634 b is 66.5 light-years (20.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1960. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,170,400 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 3634 b scores 0.27, ranking #2,712 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: GJ 3634
GJ 3634
- Spectral type
- M2.5
- Mass
- 0.45 M☉
- Radius
- 0.43 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.0200 L☉
- Age
- 5.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
GJ 3634 b is the only planet known to orbit GJ 3634 so far.
GJ 3634 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 8.40 Earth masses (0.026 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 2.65 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.029 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.080 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.27 |
| Distance from Earth | 66.5 light-years (20.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Hydra |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2010 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-08-21. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About GJ 3634 b
Is GJ 3634 b habitable?
GJ 3634 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of GJ 3634, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is GJ 3634 b?
GJ 3634 b is about 67 light-years from Earth in the constellation Hydra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,170,400 years to get there.
How long is a year on GJ 3634 b?
One orbit around GJ 3634 takes 2.6 Earth days — short enough that 138 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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