NGTS-6 b
NGTS-6 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting NGTS-6 in the constellation Caelum. It lies about 1,005 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2019 using the transit method.
How Big Is NGTS-6 b?
NGTS-6 b has a radius of 14.86 times that of Earth, or 1.33 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 426 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.71 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is NGTS-6 b in the Habitable Zone?
NGTS-6 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of NGTS-6. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of NGTS-6: 0.401–0.981 AU (conservative: 0.508–0.930 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on NGTS-6 b
The equilibrium temperature of NGTS-6 b is about 1,284 K (1,011 °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-6 b — one full orbit around NGTS-6 — lasts just 21.2 hours, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.017 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was NGTS-6 b Discovered?
NGTS-6 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-6 b?
NGTS-6 b is 1,005.4 light-years (308.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1021. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 17,695,040 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-6 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,118 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: NGTS-6
NGTS-6
- Surface temperature
- 4,730 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.77 M☉
- Radius
- 0.75 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.2560 L☉
- Age
- 9.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
NGTS-6 b is the only planet known to orbit NGTS-6 so far.
NGTS-6 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 14.863 Earth radii (1.326 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 425.57 Earth masses (1.339 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.71 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 0.88 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.017 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,284 K (1,011 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,005.4 light-years (308.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Caelum |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Next-Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) |
| Discovery year | 2019 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-09-20. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About NGTS-6 b
Is NGTS-6 b habitable?
No — NGTS-6 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is NGTS-6 b?
NGTS-6 b is about 1,005 light-years from Earth in the constellation Caelum. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 17,695,040 years to get there.
How big is NGTS-6 b compared to Earth?
NGTS-6 b has 14.86 times the radius of Earth and about 426 times its mass.
How long is a year on NGTS-6 b?
One orbit around NGTS-6 takes 0.9 Earth days — short enough that 414 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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