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TOI-178 c

Super Earth Sculptor

TOI-178 c is a super-Earth orbiting TOI-178 in the constellation Sculptor. It lies about 205 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2021 using the transit method.

1.75×Earth radius
4.6×Earth mass
3.2 dOrbital period
0.29Earth similarity
205 lyDistance
2021Discovered

How Big Is TOI-178 c?

Earth1.00 R⊕TOI-178 c1.75 R⊕
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TOI-178 c has a radius of 1.75 times that of Earth. Its mass is 4.6 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 4.80 g/cm³ — comparable to rocky planets like Earth (5.51 g/cm³).

Is TOI-178 c in the Habitable Zone?

The position of TOI-178 c relative to the habitable zone of TOI-178 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Too hot Optimistic habitable zone Conservative habitable zone Too cold

Habitable zone of TOI-178: 0.297–0.739 AU (conservative: 0.376–0.701 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.

See the full interactive habitable-zone view in the Exoplanet Explorer app ›

Orbit and Year Length

A year on TOI-178 c — one full orbit around TOI-178 — lasts 3.24 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.000).

How Was TOI-178 c Discovered?

TOI-178 c was discovered in 2021 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-178 c?

TOI-178 c is 204.5 light-years (62.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1822. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 3,599,200 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-178 c scores 0.29, ranking #2,072 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: TOI-178

TOI-178

Surface temperature
4,316 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
Mass
0.65 M☉
Radius
0.66 R☉
Luminosity
0.1360 L☉
Age
6.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)

The TOI-178 Planetary System

TOI-178 c is one of 6 known planets in the TOI-178 system. Its siblings:

TOI-178 c — Complete Data

Radius1.754 Earth radii (0.156 Jupiter radii)
Mass4.64 Earth masses (0.015 Jupiter masses)
Density4.80 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51)
Orbital period3.24 days
Eccentricity0.000
Earth Similarity Index0.29
Distance from Earth204.5 light-years (62.7 parsecs)
ConstellationSculptor
Discovery methodTransit
Discovery facilityTransiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)
Discovery year2021

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2025-11-20. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About TOI-178 c

Is TOI-178 c habitable?

TOI-178 c is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of TOI-178, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is TOI-178 c?

TOI-178 c is about 205 light-years from Earth in the constellation Sculptor. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 3,599,200 years to get there.

How big is TOI-178 c compared to Earth?

TOI-178 c has 1.75 times the radius of Earth and about 4.6 times its mass.

How long is a year on TOI-178 c?

One orbit around TOI-178 takes 3.2 Earth days — short enough that 113 of its years would fit into one Earth year.

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