Host star — L 98-59
- Spectral type
- M3 V
- Temperature
- 3,415 K
- Radius
- 0.32 R☉
- Mass
- 0.29 M☉
- Luminosity
- 0.012 L☉
- Distance
- 10.6 pc (34.6 ly)
Red dwarf — the most common type of star. Cool and small.
Very cool — a faint red dwarf.
L 98-59 f
Orbits L 98-59 · 34.6 light-years from Earth
RockyRadial Velocity2025ESI 80 · Very Earth-like
Radius
1.48×
Earth
Mass
2.8×
Earth
Year
23d
Temp
285 K
12°C
Gravity
1.3×
Earth
Distance
34.6
ly
Could life exist here?
AI analysisL 98-59 f is a rocky world just 50 percent larger than Earth, orbiting an M-dwarf star 34.6 light-years away. With an equilibrium temperature of 285 Kelvin—roughly 12 degrees Celsius, similar to Earth's global average—and a mass of 2.8 Earth masses suggesting a solid, likely terrestrial composition, this planet sits squarely in the habitable zone where liquid water could exist on its surface. The planet's tight orbit of 23.1 days around a small, cool star means it may be tidally locked, with one face perpetually lit and the other in darkness, which could complicate habitability by creating extreme climate zones; however, a thin atmosphere might redistribute heat enough to maintain temperate conditions across the globe. Its density of 5 grams per cubic centimeter aligns with rocky terrestrial planets rather than water-worlds, suggesting a familiar geochemistry. Uncertainties remain about atmospheric composition and thickness—critical unknowns that would determine whether any surface warmth translates into actual habitability. This recent 2025 discovery via radial velocity makes L 98-59 f notable as a nearby, temperate rocky world in a multi-planet system, warranting future characterization efforts.
What it would be like
L 98-59 f 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 1.3g — noticeably heavier what you're used to on Earth.
With an equilibrium temperature around 12°C, this planet sits in the temperature range where liquid water could potentially exist on the surface — a key ingredient for life as we know it.
An orbital period of 23 days makes the year 15.8× 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.
Radius1.48R⊕
1/25×Earth = 125×
Mass2.80M⊕
1/10000×Earth = 110000×
Surface gravity1.28g
1/100×Earth = 1100×
Equilibrium temp285 K(12°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
- 2025
- Facility
- Multiple Facilities
- Semi-major axis
- 0.1052 AU
- Period
- 23.06 days
- Eccentricity
- 0.0440
- Density
- 5.00 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
L 98-59L 98-59 fOrbitHabitable zone
Drag to rotate · scroll to zoomSemi-major axis: 0.105 AUEccentricity: 0.0440Period: 23.1 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 34.6 light-years?
- A light beam leaving Earth right now would arrive in 34.6 years.
- At Voyager 1's speed (17 km/s), the trip would take approximately 610,815 years.
- A radio signal sent today would arrive in 34.6 years — and the reply wouldn't come back for twice that.
Earth Similarity Index
80/1000 — 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.