Welcome to the Exoplanet Website

Overview of 55 Cancri e

55 Cancri e is an intriguing exoplanet located about 40 light-years away in the constellation Cancer and is rich in carbon, possibly including diamond in its composition, given the carbon-rich nature of its star system.

Discovery

55 Cancri e was discovered in 2004 as part of a survey for exoplanets orbiting the star 55 Cancri A, a G-type star in the binary system 55 Cancri.

Characteristics of 55 Cancri e

• Mass: ~8 Earth masses (~0.025 Jupiter masses)
• Radius: Estimated to be about 2 times that of Earth
• Orbital period: ~18 hours
• Distance from its star: ~0.015 AU
• Surface temperature: Estimated to be around 1,600 K (1,327 °C)

Habitability Potential

The extreme conditions of 55 Cancri e make it a highly unlikely candidate for habitability. It serves as an interesting example of the diversity of exoplanets, but its environment is not conducive to supporting life.