Wolf 1061 d
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
Wolf 1061 d is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Wolf 1061, located approximately 14 light-years (4.31 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2015 by La Silla Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 2.69 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 7.7 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.18 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.06 g⊕ (10.4 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 18.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around Wolf 1061, Wolf 1061 d completes one full revolution every 217.21 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.47 AU (situated at an orbital separation between Mercury's 0.39 AU and Venus's 0.72 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 23.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.55, swinging from 0.2115 AU at periapsis out to 0.7285 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
❄️ Thermal Regime (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 130 K (-143°C / -225°F) and an incident flux of 0.06 S⊕ (~82 W/m²), surface water and volatile species on Wolf 1061 d would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star Wolf 1061 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M3.5 with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,342 K, a radius of 0.307 R☉, a mass of 0.294 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.011 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.09 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Wolf 1061 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.1 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The Wolf 1061 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 3 confirmed worlds, with Wolf 1061 d sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside Wolf 1061 b, Wolf 1061 c.
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: La Silla Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | Wolf 1061 |
| Spectral Type | M3.5 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,342 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.3070 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.2940 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.011 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.090 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.100 · G: 8.794 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 3 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.470000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 217.21 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 23.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.55000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.18 g/cm³ (18.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0600 S⊕ (~82 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 14.000 LY (4.306 pc) |