description YZ Ceti b Overview
YZ Ceti b is a small exoplanet detected by radial-velocity measurements around YZ Ceti, a nearby M dwarf about 12 light-years from the Sun. It is the innermost of three known planets in that system and completes an orbit in about two days. Its close orbit exposes it to much stronger stellar irradiation than Earth receives, so it is not generally treated as a temperate or habitable-zone world.
help YZ Ceti b FAQ
How was YZ Ceti b discovered?
YZ Ceti b was detected through radial-velocity measurements, including observations from the HARPS planet search, rather than through a confirmed transit. The discovery of b, c, and d around the nearby M dwarf was announced in 2017. [NASA Science](https://science.nasa.gov/universe/exoplanets/discovery-alert-three-earth-mass-neighbors/)
Does YZ Ceti b take two days to orbit its star?
Yes, its orbit is roughly two Earth days long, but the exact fitted value has changed because of a one-day alias in the radial-velocity data. Earlier work gave about 1.97 days, while later catalog solutions give about 2.02 days. [NASA Exoplanet Archive](https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/overview/YZCet)
How massive is YZ Ceti b?
Its measured minimum mass is about 0.70 Earth masses. Because the planet was found by radial velocity, that figure is written as a minimum mass unless the orbital inclination is independently known. [NASA Exoplanet Archive](https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/overview/YZCet)
Is YZ Ceti b in the habitable zone?
No, it orbits only about 0.01634 astronomical units from its M dwarf and receives roughly eight times Earth's stellar flux. NASA describes the three known YZ Ceti planets as being outside their star's habitable zone. [NASA Science](https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanet-catalog/yz-ceti-b/)
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