GJ 674 b
GJ 674 b is a Neptune-like planet orbiting the M2.5 star GJ 674 in the constellation Ara. It lies about 15 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2007 using the radial velocity method.
Is GJ 674 b in the Habitable Zone?
GJ 674 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of GJ 674. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of GJ 674: 0.103–0.267 AU (conservative: 0.131–0.253 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 674 b — one full orbit around GJ 674 — lasts 4.69 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.039 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.20).
How Was GJ 674 b Discovered?
GJ 674 b was discovered in 2007 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 674 b?
GJ 674 b is 14.8 light-years (4.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 2012. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 260,480 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 674 b scores 0.30, ranking #1,352 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: GJ 674
GJ 674
- Spectral type
- M2.5
- Surface temperature
- 3,600 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.35 M☉
- Luminosity
- 0.0160 L☉
- Age
- 0.6 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
GJ 674 b is the only planet known to orbit GJ 674 so far.
GJ 674 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 11.09 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 4.69 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.039 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.200 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.30 |
| Distance from Earth | 14.8 light-years (4.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Ara |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2007 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About GJ 674 b
Is GJ 674 b habitable?
No — GJ 674 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is GJ 674 b?
GJ 674 b is about 15 light-years from Earth in the constellation Ara. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 260,480 years to get there.
How long is a year on GJ 674 b?
One orbit around GJ 674 takes 4.7 Earth days — short enough that 78 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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