Qatar-6 b
Qatar-6 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the K2 V star Qatar-6 in the constellation Boötes. It lies about 329 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2017 using the transit method.
How Big Is Qatar-6 b?
Qatar-6 b has a radius of 11.90 times that of Earth, or 1.06 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 212 times that of Earth.
Is Qatar-6 b in the Habitable Zone?
Qatar-6 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Qatar-6. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Qatar-6: 0.432–1.043 AU (conservative: 0.547–0.989 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on Qatar-6 b
The equilibrium temperature of Qatar-6 b is about 1,006 K (733 °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 Qatar-6 b — one full orbit around Qatar-6 — lasts 3.51 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.042 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Qatar-6 b Discovered?
Qatar-6 b was discovered in 2017 using the transit method, with observations from Qatar.
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 Qatar-6 b?
Qatar-6 b is 328.9 light-years (100.8 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1698. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 5,788,640 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. Qatar-6 b scores 0.08, ranking #4,654 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Qatar-6
Qatar-6 b belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits Qatar-6.
Qatar-6
- Spectral type
- K2 V
- Surface temperature
- 5,052 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.82 M☉
- Radius
- 0.72 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.3060 L☉
- Age
- 1.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
Qatar-6 b is the only planet known to orbit Qatar-6 so far.
Qatar-6 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 11.904 Earth radii (1.062 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 212.31 Earth masses (0.668 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 3.51 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.042 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,006 K (733 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.08 |
| Distance from Earth | 328.9 light-years (100.8 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Boötes |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Qatar |
| Discovery year | 2017 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-11-18. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Qatar-6 b
Is Qatar-6 b habitable?
No — Qatar-6 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Qatar-6 b?
Qatar-6 b is about 329 light-years from Earth in the constellation Boötes. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 5,788,640 years to get there.
How big is Qatar-6 b compared to Earth?
Qatar-6 b has 11.90 times the radius of Earth and about 212 times its mass.
How long is a year on Qatar-6 b?
One orbit around Qatar-6 takes 3.5 Earth days — short enough that 104 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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