CoRoT-2 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
CoRoT-2 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star CoRoT-2, located approximately 695.6 light-years (213.28 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2008 by CoRoT using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 2.7648% across the stellar disk), this world measures 16.432 Earth radii (1.47 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 1102.82 Earth masses (3.47 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.37 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 4.08 g⊕ (40.01 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 91.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around CoRoT-2, CoRoT-2 b completes one full revolution every 1.743 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.02798 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 174.6 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.0143 (ranging from 0.0276 AU at periapsis to 0.0284 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1521 K (+1248°C / +2278°F) and receiving 932.91 S⊕ (~1,269,687 W/m²), CoRoT-2 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star CoRoT-2 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,625 K, a radius of 0.906 R☉, a mass of 0.96 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.737 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, CoRoT-2 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.516 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern 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-2 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,625 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9060 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.737 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.040 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.700 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.516 · G: 12.249 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.027980 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.743 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 174.6 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.01430 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.0800° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.37 g/cm³ (91.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 932.9076 S⊕ (~1,269,687 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 695.600 LY (213.283 pc) |