CoRoT-7 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
CoRoT-7 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star CoRoT-7, located approximately 521.5 light-years (159.91 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2009 by CoRoT using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0345% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.681 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.077 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.73 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.44 g⊕ (14.12 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around CoRoT-7, CoRoT-7 b completes one full revolution every 0.854 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.017016 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 216.9 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 1756 K (+1483°C / +2701°F) and receiving 1,773.80 S⊕ (~2,414,135 W/m²), CoRoT-7 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star CoRoT-7 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G9 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,275 K, a radius of 0.83 R☉, a mass of 0.82 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.479 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.05 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, CoRoT-7 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.728 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The CoRoT-7 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 3 confirmed worlds, with CoRoT-7 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside CoRoT-7 c, CoRoT-7 d.
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-7 |
| Spectral Type | G9 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,275 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8300 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8200 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.479 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.050 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.800 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.728 · G: 11.524 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 3 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.017016 AU |
| Orbital Period | 0.854 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 216.9 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 80.1000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.73 g/cm³ (17.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1773.7952 S⊕ (~2,414,135 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 521.500 LY (159.906 pc) |