L 98-59 e
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
L 98-59 e is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star L 98-59, located approximately 34.6 light-years (10.62 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Multiple Observatories using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 1.49 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 2.82 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.7 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.27 g⊕ (12.45 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 15.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around L 98-59, L 98-59 e completes one full revolution every 12.828 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0712 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 60.4 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.012 (ranging from 0.0703 AU at periapsis to 0.0721 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
ℹ️ Thermal & Atmospheric Regime: Current photometric and spectroscopic constraints for L 98-59 e place it outside the conservative habitable zone definition pending further atmospheric characterization.
The host star L 98-59 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M3 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,415 K, a radius of 0.3155 R☉, a mass of 0.2923 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.012 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.94 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.46 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, L 98-59 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.685 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The L 98-59 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 5 confirmed worlds, with L 98-59 e sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside L 98-59 b, L 98-59 c, L 98-59 d, L 98-59 f.
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: Multiple Observatories · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | L 98-59 |
| Spectral Type | M3 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,415 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.3155 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.2923 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.012 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.460 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.940 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.685 · G: 10.598 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 5 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.071200 AU |
| Orbital Period | 12.828 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 60.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.01200 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 80.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.7 g/cm³ (15.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2.4000 S⊕ (~3,266 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 34.600 LY (10.619 pc) |