Host star — GJ 1061
- Spectral type
- M5.5 V
- Temperature
- 2,953 K
- Radius
- 0.16 R☉
- Mass
- 0.12 M☉
- Luminosity
- 0.002 L☉
- Distance
- 3.7 pc (12.0 ly)
Red dwarf — the most common type of star. Cool and small.
Very cool — a faint red dwarf.
GJ 1061 d
Orbits GJ 1061 · 12.0 light-years from Earth
RockyRadial Velocity2020ESI 91 · Very Earth-like
Radius
1.16×
Earth
Mass
1.7×
Earth
Year
13d
Temp
242 K
-31°C
Gravity
1.2×
Earth
Distance
12.0
ly
Could life exist here?
AI analysisGJ 1061 d is a rocky world just 16 percent larger than Earth, orbiting a dim red dwarf star only 12 light-years away. With an equilibrium temperature of 242 Kelvin (minus 31 Celsius), this planet sits in the habitable zone where liquid water could persist on its surface, though it would be considerably colder than Earth's average climate. The planet's mass of 1.67 Earth masses and density of 5.88 grams per cubic centimeter suggest a composition similar to our own world, hinting at a potential rocky interior and possibly a thin atmosphere. Its nearly circular orbit around a low-mass M5.5 dwarf star is stable and close enough that tidal locking—where one face perpetually faces the star—remains uncertain, though the short 13.1-day orbit raises this as a real possibility. The planet's habitability score of 91 out of 100 reflects these promising conditions, yet life-critical unknowns remain: we do not know if an atmosphere exists, whether water is present, or if the star's ultraviolet output has stripped away volatile gases over billions of years. GJ 1061 d's proximity and discovery via radial velocity make it an exceptional target for future atmospheric characterization with next-generation telescopes.
What it would be like
GJ 1061 d is a rocky world, potentially similar in composition to Earth or Mars — a solid surface you could, in theory, stand on.
Surface gravity is about 1.2g — noticeably heavier what you're used to on Earth.
At -31°C, this world is cold — similar to Earth's polar regions or the surface of Mars. Water would likely be frozen, but subsurface liquid isn't ruled out.
An orbital period of 13 days makes the year 28.0× shorter than Earth's. You'd celebrate your birthday more often here.
Earth comparison
Logarithmic bars so Jupiter-class planets fit the same scale as Earth-size worlds.
Radius1.16R⊕
1/25×Earth = 125×
Mass1.67M⊕
1/10000×Earth = 110000×
Surface gravity1.24g
1/100×Earth = 1100×
Equilibrium temp242 K(-31°C)
0 KEarth 255 K2500 K
Side-by-side with Earth
Temperature in context
Liquid N₂Mars avgEarth eq.Earth sfc.Boiling H₂OVenus
Discovery & orbit
- Method
- Radial Velocity
- Year
- 2020
- Facility
- La Silla Observatory
- Semi-major axis
- 0.0540 AU
- Period
- 13.07 days
- Eccentricity
- 0.0400
- Density
- 5.88 g/cm³
Detected by the star's wobble — gravitational tug from the orbiting planet shifts spectral lines.
Mildly elliptical — similar to most Solar System planets.
Rocky composition likely. Earth is 5.51 g/cm³.
Discovered via · Radial velocity
The star's wobble — gravitational tug from the planet shifts its spectrum
A planet orbiting a star pulls it slightly back and forth. That motion compresses the star's light when moving toward us (blueshift) and stretches it away (redshift). Precision spectrographs detect the wobble at metres-per-second — enough to infer a planet's mass and orbit.
- Overall share
- ~19% of discoveries
- Best for
- Massive, close-in planets around nearby bright stars
Orbital Animation
GJ 1061GJ 1061 dOrbitHabitable zone
Drag to rotate · scroll to zoomSemi-major axis: 0.054 AUEccentricity: 0.0400Period: 13.1 days
Hertzsprung–Russell Diagram
Where this host star sits among … exoplanet host stars. The main sequence band runs diagonally — giants and supergiants sit above, white dwarfs below.
OBAFGKMCurrent star
How far is 12.0 light-years?
- A light beam leaving Earth right now would arrive in 12.0 years.
- At Voyager 1's speed (17 km/s), the trip would take approximately 211,254 years.
- A radio signal sent today would arrive in 12.0 years — and the reply wouldn't come back for twice that.
Earth Similarity Index
91/1000 — Nothing like Earth100 — Identical to Earth
ESI combines radius similarity and equilibrium temperature similarity. Earth = 100. Mars ≈ 73. Venus ≈ 44. This score reflects two physical parameters only — not atmosphere, water, or magnetic field.