tau Cet f
The parameters of this planet are disputed or ambiguous in the scientific literature.
tau Cet f is a super-Earth orbiting tau Cet in the constellation Cetus. It lies about 12 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2017 using the radial velocity method.
Is tau Cet f in the Habitable Zone?
The position of tau Cet f relative to the habitable zone of tau Cet cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on tau Cet f — one full orbit around tau Cet — lasts 636.1 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 1.334 AU. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.16).
How Was tau Cet f Discovered?
tau Cet f was discovered in 2017 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Multiple Observatories.
The radial velocity method measures the subtle wobble of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet, visible as periodic shifts in the star's light spectrum. The size of the wobble reveals the planet's minimum mass.
How Far Away Is tau Cet f?
tau Cet f is 11.8 light-years (3.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 2015. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 207,680 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. tau Cet f scores 0.55, ranking #186 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: tau Cet
tau Cet
- Mass
- 0.78 M☉
The tau Cet Planetary System
tau Cet f is one of 3 known planets in the tau Cet system. Its siblings:
tau Cet f — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 3.93 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 636.13 days |
| Orbital distance | 1.334 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.160 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.55 |
| Distance from Earth | 11.8 light-years (3.6 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Multiple Observatories |
| Discovery year | 2017 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2017-08-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About tau Cet f
Is tau Cet f habitable?
tau Cet f is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of tau Cet, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is tau Cet f?
tau Cet f is about 12 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cetus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 207,680 years to get there.
How long is a year on tau Cet f?
One orbit around tau Cet takes 636.1 Earth days.
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