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HD 108236 c

Mini Neptune Centaurus

HD 108236 c is a mini-Neptune orbiting HD 108236 in the constellation Centaurus. It lies about 211 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2020 using the transit method.

2.07×Earth radius
6.2 dOrbital period
0.26Earth similarity
211 lyDistance
2020Discovered

How Big Is HD 108236 c?

Earth1.00 R⊕HD 108236 c2.07 R⊕
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HD 108236 c has a radius of 2.07 times that of Earth.

Is HD 108236 c in the Habitable Zone?

HD 108236 c orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of HD 108236. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.

HD 108236 c
Too hot Optimistic habitable zone Conservative habitable zone Too cold

Habitable zone of HD 108236: 0.636–1.503 AU (conservative: 0.805–1.425 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.

See the full interactive habitable-zone view in the Exoplanet Explorer app ›

Orbit and Year Length

A year on HD 108236 c — one full orbit around HD 108236 — lasts 6.20 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.062 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.034).

How Was HD 108236 c Discovered?

HD 108236 c was discovered in 2020 using the transit method, with observations from Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).

The transit method watches a star for the tiny, regular dip in brightness that occurs when a planet crosses in front of it. The depth and timing of these dips reveal the planet's size and orbital period.

How Far Away Is HD 108236 c?

HD 108236 c is 210.7 light-years (64.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1816. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 3,708,320 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. HD 108236 c scores 0.26, ranking #2,905 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: HD 108236

HD 108236

Surface temperature
5,660 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
Mass
0.87 M☉
Radius
0.88 R☉
Luminosity
0.7080 L☉
Age
6.7 billion years (Sun: 4.6)

The HD 108236 Planetary System

HD 108236 c is one of 5 known planets in the HD 108236 system. Its siblings:

HD 108236 c — Complete Data

Radius2.071 Earth radii (0.185 Jupiter radii)
Orbital period6.20 days
Orbital distance0.062 AU
Eccentricity0.034
Earth Similarity Index0.26
Distance from Earth210.7 light-years (64.6 parsecs)
ConstellationCentaurus
Discovery methodTransit
Discovery facilityTransiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)
Discovery year2020

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2021-01-21. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About HD 108236 c

Is HD 108236 c habitable?

No — HD 108236 c orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.

How far away is HD 108236 c?

HD 108236 c is about 211 light-years from Earth in the constellation Centaurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 3,708,320 years to get there.

How big is HD 108236 c compared to Earth?

HD 108236 c has 2.07 times the radius of Earth.

How long is a year on HD 108236 c?

One orbit around HD 108236 takes 6.2 Earth days — short enough that 59 of its years would fit into one Earth year.

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