TOI-2096 c
TOI-2096 c is a super-Earth orbiting the M4 star TOI-2096 in the constellation Draco. It lies about 158 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2023 using the transit method.
How Big Is TOI-2096 c?
TOI-2096 c has a radius of 1.91 times that of Earth.
Is TOI-2096 c in the Habitable Zone?
TOI-2096 c orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of TOI-2096. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of TOI-2096: 0.063–0.165 AU (conservative: 0.080–0.157 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on TOI-2096 c
The equilibrium temperature of TOI-2096 c is about 349 K (76 °C) — hotter than anywhere on Earth. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C. It receives 3.70 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on TOI-2096 c — one full orbit around TOI-2096 — lasts 6.39 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.040 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.10).
How Was TOI-2096 c Discovered?
TOI-2096 c was discovered in 2023 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-2096 c?
TOI-2096 c is 158.1 light-years (48.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1868. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 2,782,560 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-2096 c scores 0.54, ranking #209 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: TOI-2096
TOI-2096
- Spectral type
- M4
- Surface temperature
- 3,300 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.23 M☉
- Radius
- 0.24 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.0059 L☉
- Age
- 4.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The TOI-2096 Planetary System
TOI-2096 c is one of 2 known planets in the TOI-2096 system. Its siblings:
- TOI-2096 b (Terrestrial)
TOI-2096 c — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.914 Earth radii (0.171 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 6.39 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.040 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.100 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 349 K (76 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 3.70× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.54 |
| Distance from Earth | 158.1 light-years (48.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Draco |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) |
| Discovery year | 2023 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-03-28. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About TOI-2096 c
Is TOI-2096 c habitable?
No — TOI-2096 c orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is TOI-2096 c?
TOI-2096 c is about 158 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 2,782,560 years to get there.
How big is TOI-2096 c compared to Earth?
TOI-2096 c has 1.91 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on TOI-2096 c?
One orbit around TOI-2096 takes 6.4 Earth days — short enough that 57 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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