TOI-6002 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TOI-6002 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star TOI-6002, located approximately 104.5 light-years (32.03 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2024 by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.3869% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.65 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.36 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.12 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.23 g⊕ (12.06 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 16 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TOI-6002, TOI-6002 b completes one full revolution every 10.905 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.05722 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 57.1 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.15 carries the world between 0.0486 AU at periapsis and 0.0658 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
✓ Classified as a Temperate Habitable Zone Candidate.
With an estimated equilibrium temperature of 321 K (+48°C / +118°F) and an incident stellar irradiance of 1.68 S⊕ (~2,290 W/m²), TOI-6002 b orbits within the empirical circumstellar habitable zone where a rocky surface under sufficient atmospheric pressure can maintain liquid surface water.
The host star TOI-6002 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M3.5+/-0.5 with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,229 K, a radius of 0.2432 R☉, a mass of 0.2101 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.00577 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 6.35 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.18 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, TOI-6002 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.6 (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: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | TOI-6002 |
| Spectral Type | M3.5+/-0.5 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,229 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.2432 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.2101 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.00577 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.180 dex |
| Stellar Age | 6.350 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.600 · G: 13.956 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.057220 AU |
| Orbital Period | 10.905 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 57.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.15000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.6800° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.12 g/cm³ (16 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1.6823 S⊕ (~2,290 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | ★ Temperate Zone |
| Celestial Distance | 104.500 LY (32.027 pc) |