CoRoT-12 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
CoRoT-12 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star CoRoT-12, located approximately 3673.7 light-years (1126.37 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2010 by CoRoT using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.758% across the stellar disk), this world measures 16.14 Earth radii (1.44 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 291.438 Earth masses (0.92 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.38 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.12 g⊕ (10.98 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 47.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around CoRoT-12, CoRoT-12 b completes one full revolution every 2.828 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04016 AU (an ultra-close orbit less than one-seventh of Mercury's 0.387 AU distance from the Sun, where strong stellar tidal forces typically induce synchronous rotation). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 154.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.07 carries the world between 0.0373 AU at periapsis and 0.043 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1442 K (+1169°C / +2136°F) and receiving 661.13 S⊕ (~899,803 W/m²), CoRoT-12 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star CoRoT-12 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,675 K, a radius of 1.116 R☉, a mass of 1.078 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.159 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 6.3 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.16 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, CoRoT-12 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.588 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere.
Methodology: Computed using the Schulze-Makuch et al. (2011) weighted metric comparing physical interior (radius, estimated density) and surface thermal regime (escape velocity, equilibrium temperature).
Discovery Facility: CoRoT · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | CoRoT-12 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,675 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.1160 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0780 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.159 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.160 dex |
| Stellar Age | 6.300 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 15.588 · G: 15.345 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.040160 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.828 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 154.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.07000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 85.4800° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.38 g/cm³ (47.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 661.1334 S⊕ (~899,803 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 3673.700 LY (1126.370 pc) |