TOI-776 c
TOI-776 c 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 c?
TOI-776 c has a radius of 2.05 times that of Earth. Its mass is 6.9 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 4.40 g/cm³ — between that of rocky and gaseous planets.
Is TOI-776 c in the Habitable Zone?
TOI-776 c 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.
See the full interactive habitable-zone view in the Exoplanet Explorer app ›
Temperature on TOI-776 c
The equilibrium temperature of TOI-776 c is about 420 K (147 °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 c — one full orbit around TOI-776 — lasts 15.7 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.100 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.09).
How Was TOI-776 c Discovered?
TOI-776 c 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 c?
TOI-776 c 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 c scores 0.48, ranking #288 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 c is one of 2 known planets in the TOI-776 system. Its siblings:
- TOI-776 b (Super Earth)
TOI-776 c — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.047 Earth radii (0.183 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 6.90 Earth masses (0.022 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 4.40 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 15.67 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.100 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.089 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 420 K (147 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.48 |
| 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 c
Is TOI-776 c habitable?
No — TOI-776 c orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is TOI-776 c?
TOI-776 c 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 c compared to Earth?
TOI-776 c has 2.05 times the radius of Earth and about 6.9 times its mass.
How long is a year on TOI-776 c?
One orbit around TOI-776 takes 15.7 Earth days — short enough that 23 of its years would fit into one Earth year.