PSR B1257+12 b
PSR B1257+12 b is a terrestrial planet orbiting PSR B1257+12 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 1,957 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 1994 using the pulsar timing method.
Is PSR B1257+12 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of PSR B1257+12 b relative to the habitable zone of PSR B1257+12 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on PSR B1257+12 b — one full orbit around PSR B1257+12 — lasts 25.3 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.190 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was PSR B1257+12 b Discovered?
PSR B1257+12 b was discovered in 1994 using the pulsar timing method, with observations from Arecibo Observatory.
Pulsar timing detects planets around pulsars — rapidly spinning stellar remnants that emit radio pulses with clock-like precision. An orbiting planet makes the pulses arrive slightly early or late in a repeating pattern.
How Far Away Is PSR B1257+12 b?
PSR B1257+12 b is 1,956.9 light-years (600.0 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,957 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 34,441,440 years to make the journey.
The Host Star: PSR B1257+12
PSR B1257+12
- Mass
- 1.40 M☉
- Age
- 3.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The PSR B1257+12 Planetary System
PSR B1257+12 b is one of 3 known planets in the PSR B1257+12 system. Its siblings:
- PSR B1257+12 c (Super Earth)
- PSR B1257+12 d (Super Earth)
PSR B1257+12 b — Complete Data
| Mass | 0.02 Earth masses (0.000 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 25.26 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.190 AU |
| Distance from Earth | 1,956.9 light-years (600.0 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Discovery method | Pulsar Timing |
| Discovery facility | Arecibo Observatory |
| Discovery year | 1994 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-12-03. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About PSR B1257+12 b
Is PSR B1257+12 b habitable?
PSR B1257+12 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of PSR B1257+12, and as a terrestrial planet it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is PSR B1257+12 b?
PSR B1257+12 b is about 1,957 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 34,441,440 years to get there.
How long is a year on PSR B1257+12 b?
One orbit around PSR B1257+12 takes 25.3 Earth days — short enough that 14 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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