GJ 676 A e
GJ 676 A e is a super-Earth orbiting GJ 676 A in the constellation Ara. It lies about 52 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2012 using the radial velocity method.
Is GJ 676 A e in the Habitable Zone?
The position of GJ 676 A e relative to the habitable zone of GJ 676 A cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on GJ 676 A e — one full orbit around GJ 676 A — lasts 35.5 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.181 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.15).
How Was GJ 676 A e Discovered?
GJ 676 A e was discovered in 2012 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 676 A e?
GJ 676 A e is 52.3 light-years (16.0 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1974. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 920,480 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 676 A e scores 0.55, ranking #193 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: GJ 676 A
GJ 676 A e belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits GJ 676 A.
GJ 676 A
- Mass
- 0.63 M☉
The GJ 676 A Planetary System
GJ 676 A e is one of 4 known planets in the GJ 676 A system. Its siblings:
- GJ 676 A b (Cold Gas Giant)
- GJ 676 A c
- GJ 676 A d (Super Earth)
GJ 676 A e — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 6.67 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 35.47 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.181 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.152 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.55 |
| Distance from Earth | 52.3 light-years (16.0 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Ara |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | La Silla Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2012 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-06-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About GJ 676 A e
Is GJ 676 A e habitable?
GJ 676 A e is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of GJ 676 A, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is GJ 676 A e?
GJ 676 A e is about 52 light-years from Earth in the constellation Ara. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 920,480 years to get there.
How long is a year on GJ 676 A e?
One orbit around GJ 676 A takes 35.5 Earth days — short enough that 10 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore GJ 676 A e in the app
Browse, filter and compare 6,000+ exoplanets on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch — with habitable-zone views, widgets and offline data.
