NGTS-5 b
NGTS-5 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the K2 V star NGTS-5 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 1,001 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2019 using the transit method.
How Big Is NGTS-5 b?
NGTS-5 b has a radius of 12.73 times that of Earth, or 1.14 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 72.8 times that of Earth.
Is NGTS-5 b in the Habitable Zone?
NGTS-5 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of NGTS-5. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of NGTS-5: 0.431–1.044 AU (conservative: 0.547–0.990 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on NGTS-5 b
The equilibrium temperature of NGTS-5 b is about 952 K (679 °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.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on NGTS-5 b — one full orbit around NGTS-5 — lasts 3.36 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.038 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was NGTS-5 b Discovered?
NGTS-5 b was discovered in 2019 using the transit method, with observations from Next-Generation Transit Survey (NGTS).
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-5 b?
NGTS-5 b is 1,000.6 light-years (306.8 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1026. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 17,610,560 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. NGTS-5 b scores 0.08, ranking #4,787 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: NGTS-5
NGTS-5
- Spectral type
- K2 V
- Surface temperature
- 4,987 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.66 M☉
- Radius
- 0.74 R☉
Planetary System
NGTS-5 b is the only planet known to orbit NGTS-5 so far.
NGTS-5 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 12.733 Earth radii (1.136 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 72.78 Earth masses (0.229 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 3.36 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.038 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 952 K (679 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.08 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,000.6 light-years (306.8 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Next-Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) |
| Discovery year | 2019 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About NGTS-5 b
Is NGTS-5 b habitable?
No — NGTS-5 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is NGTS-5 b?
NGTS-5 b is about 1,001 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 17,610,560 years to get there.
How big is NGTS-5 b compared to Earth?
NGTS-5 b has 12.73 times the radius of Earth and about 72.8 times its mass.
How long is a year on NGTS-5 b?
One orbit around NGTS-5 takes 3.4 Earth days — short enough that 109 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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