TOI-776 b
TOI-776 b is a super-Earth orbiting TOI-776 in the constellation Centaurus. It lies about 89 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2020 using the transit method.
How Big Is TOI-776 b?
TOI-776 b has a radius of 1.80 times that of Earth. Its mass is 5.0 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-776 b in the Habitable Zone?
TOI-776 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of TOI-776. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of TOI-776: 0.185–0.476 AU (conservative: 0.235–0.451 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on TOI-776 b
The equilibrium temperature of TOI-776 b is about 520 K (247 °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.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on TOI-776 b — one full orbit around TOI-776 — lasts 8.25 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.065 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.05).
How Was TOI-776 b Discovered?
TOI-776 b was discovered in 2020 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-776 b?
TOI-776 b is 88.6 light-years (27.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1938. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,559,360 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-776 b scores 0.37, ranking #632 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: TOI-776
TOI-776
- Surface temperature
- 3,725 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.54 M☉
- Radius
- 0.55 R☉
- Age
- 6.1 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The TOI-776 Planetary System
TOI-776 b is one of 2 known planets in the TOI-776 system. Its siblings:
- TOI-776 c (Super Earth)
TOI-776 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.798 Earth radii (0.160 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 5.00 Earth masses (0.016 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 4.80 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 8.25 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.065 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.052 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 520 K (247 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.37 |
| Distance from Earth | 88.6 light-years (27.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) |
| Discovery year | 2020 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2024-06-10. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About TOI-776 b
Is TOI-776 b habitable?
No — TOI-776 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is TOI-776 b?
TOI-776 b is about 89 light-years from Earth in the constellation Centaurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,559,360 years to get there.
How big is TOI-776 b compared to Earth?
TOI-776 b has 1.80 times the radius of Earth and about 5.0 times its mass.
How long is a year on TOI-776 b?
One orbit around TOI-776 takes 8.2 Earth days — short enough that 44 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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