NGTS-31 b
NGTS-31 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting NGTS-31 in the constellation Columba. It lies about 1,622 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2025 using the transit method.
How Big Is NGTS-31 b?
NGTS-31 b has a radius of 18.05 times that of Earth, or 1.61 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 356 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.30 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is NGTS-31 b in the Habitable Zone?
NGTS-31 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of NGTS-31. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of NGTS-31: 1.251–2.953 AU (conservative: 1.585–2.800 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on NGTS-31 b
The equilibrium temperature of NGTS-31 b is about 1,410 K (1,137 °C) — hot enough to melt many metals. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C. It receives 643 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on NGTS-31 b — one full orbit around NGTS-31 — lasts 4.16 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.064 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was NGTS-31 b Discovered?
NGTS-31 b was discovered in 2025 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 NGTS-31 b?
NGTS-31 b is 1,622.2 light-years (497.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,622 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 28,550,720 years to make the journey.
The Host Star: NGTS-31
NGTS-31
- Surface temperature
- 5,710 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.96 M☉
- Radius
- 1.70 R☉
- Age
- 10.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
NGTS-31 b is the only planet known to orbit NGTS-31 so far.
NGTS-31 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 18.046 Earth radii (1.610 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 355.97 Earth masses (1.120 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.30 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 4.16 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.064 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,410 K (1,137 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 643.00× Earth |
| Distance from Earth | 1,622.2 light-years (497.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Columba |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) |
| Discovery year | 2025 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2025-10-09. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About NGTS-31 b
Is NGTS-31 b habitable?
No — NGTS-31 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is NGTS-31 b?
NGTS-31 b is about 1,622 light-years from Earth in the constellation Columba. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 28,550,720 years to get there.
How big is NGTS-31 b compared to Earth?
NGTS-31 b has 18.05 times the radius of Earth and about 356 times its mass.
How long is a year on NGTS-31 b?
One orbit around NGTS-31 takes 4.2 Earth days — short enough that 88 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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