GJ 514 b
GJ 514 b is a super-Earth orbiting the M0.5-1.0 V star GJ 514 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 25 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2022 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 514 b in the Habitable Zone?
GJ 514 b orbits within the optimistic habitable zone of GJ 514 — the broader region where liquid water might be possible under favorable atmospheric conditions.
Habitable zone of GJ 514: 0.169–0.434 AU (conservative: 0.214–0.411 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on GJ 514 b
The equilibrium temperature of GJ 514 b is about 202 K (-71 °C) — well below freezing. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C. It receives 0.28 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on GJ 514 b — one full orbit around GJ 514 — lasts 140.4 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.422 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.45), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was GJ 514 b Discovered?
GJ 514 b was discovered in 2022 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 514 b?
GJ 514 b is 24.8 light-years (7.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 2002. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 436,480 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 514 b scores 0.52, ranking #229 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: GJ 514
GJ 514
- Spectral type
- M0.5-1.0 V
- Surface temperature
- 3,728 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.51 M☉
- Radius
- 0.50 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.0430 L☉
- Age
- 0.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
GJ 514 b is the only planet known to orbit GJ 514 so far.
GJ 514 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 5.20 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 140.43 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.422 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.450 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 202 K (-71 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 0.28× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.52 |
| Distance from Earth | 24.8 light-years (7.6 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2022 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2022-04-19. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About GJ 514 b
Is GJ 514 b habitable?
GJ 514 b orbits within the habitable zone of GJ 514, the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. Whether it is actually habitable depends on its atmosphere and composition, which remain unknown.
How far away is GJ 514 b?
GJ 514 b is about 25 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 436,480 years to get there.
How long is a year on GJ 514 b?
One orbit around GJ 514 takes 140.4 Earth days.
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