CoRoT-6 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
CoRoT-6 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star CoRoT-6, located approximately 2104.7 light-years (645.29 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2009 by CoRoT using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.3662% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.068 Earth radii (1.17 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 940.74 Earth masses (2.96 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.32 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 5.51 g⊕ (54.03 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 94.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around CoRoT-6, CoRoT-6 b completes one full revolution every 8.887 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0855 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 104.7 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.1 carries the world between 0.077 AU at periapsis and 0.0941 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1017 K (+744°C / +1371°F) and receiving 145.14 S⊕ (~197,540 W/m²), CoRoT-6 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star CoRoT-6 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F9 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,090 K, a radius of 1.025 R☉, a mass of 1.05 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.297 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.5 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.2 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, CoRoT-6 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.961 (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-6 |
| Spectral Type | F9 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,090 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.0250 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0500 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.297 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.200 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.500 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.961 · G: 13.746 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.085500 AU |
| Orbital Period | 8.887 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 104.7 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.10000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.0700° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.32 g/cm³ (94.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 145.1436 S⊕ (~197,540 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 2104.700 LY (645.294 pc) |