GJ 96 b
GJ 96 b is a Neptune-like planet orbiting the M2 star GJ 96 in the constellation Andromeda. It lies about 39 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2018 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 96 b in the Habitable Zone?
GJ 96 b orbits within the optimistic habitable zone of GJ 96 — the broader region where liquid water might be possible under favorable atmospheric conditions.
Habitable zone of GJ 96: 0.243–0.621 AU (conservative: 0.307–0.589 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 96 b — one full orbit around GJ 96 — lasts 73.9 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.291 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.44), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was GJ 96 b Discovered?
GJ 96 b was discovered in 2018 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Haute-Provence 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 96 b?
GJ 96 b is 38.9 light-years (11.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1988. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 684,640 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 96 b scores 0.54, ranking #207 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: GJ 96
GJ 96
- Spectral type
- M2
- Surface temperature
- 3,785 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.60 M☉
- Luminosity
- 0.0888 L☉
Planetary System
GJ 96 b is the only planet known to orbit GJ 96 so far.
GJ 96 b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 19.66 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 73.94 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.291 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.440 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.54 |
| Distance from Earth | 38.9 light-years (11.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Andromeda |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Haute-Provence Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2018 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-11-06. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About GJ 96 b
Is GJ 96 b habitable?
GJ 96 b orbits within the habitable zone of GJ 96, 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 96 b?
GJ 96 b is about 39 light-years from Earth in the constellation Andromeda. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 684,640 years to get there.
How long is a year on GJ 96 b?
One orbit around GJ 96 takes 73.9 Earth days.
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