CoRoT-26 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
CoRoT-26 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star CoRoT-26, located approximately 3408.9 light-years (1045.18 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2013 by CoRoT using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.523% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.12 Earth radii (1.26 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 165.26 Earth masses (0.52 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.32 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.83 g⊕ (8.14 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 38.3 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around CoRoT-26, CoRoT-26 b completes one full revolution every 4.205 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0526 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 136.1 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The orbit is modeled as circular (e = 0.00), maintaining a constant stellar distance throughout its year.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1600 K (+1327°C / +2421°F) and receiving 1,021.01 S⊕ (~1,389,590 W/m²), CoRoT-26 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star CoRoT-26 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G5 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,590 K, a radius of 1.79 R☉, a mass of 1.09 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.807 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 8.6 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.01 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, CoRoT-26 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.861 (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-26 |
| Spectral Type | G5 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,590 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.7900 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0900 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.807 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.010 dex |
| Stellar Age | 8.600 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 15.861 · G: 15.468 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.052600 AU |
| Orbital Period | 4.205 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 136.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.8000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.32 g/cm³ (38.3 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1021.0065 S⊕ (~1,389,590 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 3408.900 LY (1045.180 pc) |