TOI-163 b
TOI-163 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the F star TOI-163 in the constellation Mensa. It lies about 1,343 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2019 using the transit method.
How Big Is TOI-163 b?
TOI-163 b has a radius of 16.69 times that of Earth, or 1.49 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 388 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.49 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is TOI-163 b in the Habitable Zone?
TOI-163 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of TOI-163. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of TOI-163: 1.496–3.472 AU (conservative: 1.894–3.291 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on TOI-163 b
The equilibrium temperature of TOI-163 b is about 1,669 K (1,396 °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 TOI-163 b — one full orbit around TOI-163 — lasts 4.23 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.058 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was TOI-163 b Discovered?
TOI-163 b was discovered in 2019 using the transit method, with observations from Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
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 TOI-163 b?
TOI-163 b is 1,342.8 light-years (411.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,343 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 23,633,280 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. TOI-163 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,224 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: TOI-163
TOI-163
- Spectral type
- F
- Surface temperature
- 6,495 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.44 M☉
- Radius
- 1.65 R☉
- Luminosity
- 4.3300 L☉
- Age
- 1.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
TOI-163 b is the only planet known to orbit TOI-163 so far.
TOI-163 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 16.690 Earth radii (1.489 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 387.75 Earth masses (1.220 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.49 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 4.23 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.058 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,669 K (1,396 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,342.8 light-years (411.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Mensa |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) |
| Discovery year | 2019 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-11-01. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About TOI-163 b
Is TOI-163 b habitable?
No — TOI-163 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is TOI-163 b?
TOI-163 b is about 1,343 light-years from Earth in the constellation Mensa. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 23,633,280 years to get there.
How big is TOI-163 b compared to Earth?
TOI-163 b has 16.69 times the radius of Earth and about 388 times its mass.
How long is a year on TOI-163 b?
One orbit around TOI-163 takes 4.2 Earth days — short enough that 86 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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