TOI-2096 c
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TOI-2096 c is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star TOI-2096, located approximately 158.1 light-years (48.48 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2023 by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.5576% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.914 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.32 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.4 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.18 g⊕ (11.57 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 16.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TOI-2096, TOI-2096 c completes one full revolution every 6.388 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04 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 68.1 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.1 carries the world between 0.036 AU at periapsis and 0.044 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
ℹ️ Thermal & Atmospheric Regime: Current photometric and spectroscopic constraints for TOI-2096 c place it outside the conservative habitable zone definition pending further atmospheric characterization.
The host star TOI-2096 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M4 with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,300 K, a radius of 0.235 R☉, a mass of 0.231 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.00588 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.03 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, TOI-2096 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.92 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The TOI-2096 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with TOI-2096 c sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside TOI-2096 b.
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: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | TOI-2096 |
| Spectral Type | M4 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,300 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.2350 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.2310 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.00588 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.030 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 15.920 · G: 14.774 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.040000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 6.388 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 68.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.10000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.5600° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 3.4 g/cm³ (16.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 3.7000 S⊕ (~5,036 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 158.100 LY (48.481 pc) |