LP 791-18 b
LP 791-18 b is a terrestrial planet orbiting the M(6.1 +/- 0.7) V star LP 791-18 in the constellation Crater. It lies about 86 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2019 using the transit method.
How Big Is LP 791-18 b?
LP 791-18 b has a radius of 1.21 times that of Earth.
Is LP 791-18 b in the Habitable Zone?
LP 791-18 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of LP 791-18. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of LP 791-18: 0.039–0.105 AU (conservative: 0.050–0.100 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on LP 791-18 b
The equilibrium temperature of LP 791-18 b is about 564 K (291 °C) — hotter than anywhere on Earth. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C. It receives 24.14 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on LP 791-18 b — one full orbit around LP 791-18 — lasts just 22.8 hours, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.010 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was LP 791-18 b Discovered?
LP 791-18 b was discovered in 2019 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 LP 791-18 b?
LP 791-18 b is 86.4 light-years (26.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1940. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,520,640 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. LP 791-18 b scores 0.35, ranking #794 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: LP 791-18
LP 791-18
- Spectral type
- M(6.1 +/- 0.7) V
- Surface temperature
- 2,960 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.14 M☉
- Radius
- 0.18 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.0023 L☉
- Age
- 0.5 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The LP 791-18 Planetary System
LP 791-18 b is one of 3 known planets in the LP 791-18 system. Its siblings:
- LP 791-18 c (Mini Neptune)
- LP 791-18 d (Terrestrial)
LP 791-18 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.212 Earth radii (0.108 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 0.95 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.010 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 564 K (291 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 24.14× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.35 |
| Distance from Earth | 86.4 light-years (26.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Crater |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) |
| Discovery year | 2019 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About LP 791-18 b
Is LP 791-18 b habitable?
No — LP 791-18 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is LP 791-18 b?
LP 791-18 b is about 86 light-years from Earth in the constellation Crater. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,520,640 years to get there.
How big is LP 791-18 b compared to Earth?
LP 791-18 b has 1.21 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on LP 791-18 b?
One orbit around LP 791-18 takes 0.9 Earth days — short enough that 385 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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