description HD 40307 c Overview
HD 40307 c is a super-Earth-mass exoplanet orbiting the K-type star HD 40307. It was announced in 2008 from radial-velocity observations and has an orbital period of approximately 9.6 days. The planet was part of the original set of three reported planets around the star, a system that helped establish the presence of multiple low-mass planets detected by the radial-velocity method. Its close orbit places it well inside the star's habitable zone.
help HD 40307 c FAQ
What is the orbital period of HD 40307 c?
HD 40307 c circles its K-type host in about 9.62 Earth days. The NASA Exoplanet Archive lists it as a radial-velocity planet with a minimum mass greater than about 6.6 Earth masses.
How was HD 40307 c found?
It was identified from precision radial-velocity measurements of HD 40307, alongside b and d in the system's original three-planet solution. Radial velocity reveals the star's motion, so the result gives a minimum mass rather than a directly measured radius.
Is HD 40307 c a super-Earth?
It is often placed in the super-Earth mass range because its minimum mass is above Earth's and below Neptune's. The catalog value is a lower limit of about 6.6 Earth masses, so its true mass and composition are not fixed by the radial-velocity data alone.
Is HD 40307 c in the habitable zone?
No, its 9.62-day orbit is very close to HD 40307 compared with the much longer orbit of the debated HD 40307 g. The short period is why c is generally discussed as an inner system planet, not as the system's temperate-zone candidate.
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