GJ 1214

system

GJ 1214 — a nearby red dwarf 48 light-years away in Ophiuchus, host to one of the most-studied 'WATER WORLDS': the steamy sub-Neptune GJ 1214 b, whose hazy, water-rich atmosphere was long a mystery until JWST probed it in 2023. Descend to explore it.

Open in 3D viewSee GJ 1214 in the live, interactive 3D map

Science

Classification

Type: Planetary system
Distance: ~48 light-years · its real distance from the Sun
Explore: Descend to see the star and its confirmed planets

How we know

Note: A real star system, shown at its measured position in the galaxy. Its star and confirmed planets — their measured sizes and how each was found — are on the cards inside; descend to explore them. Distances follow Gaia parallax; planet data follow the NASA Exoplanet Archive.

Discovery & history

Name: A Gliese-Jahreiß catalogue designation (GJ 1214); no proper name.

A close red dwarf whose 2009 transiting planet — nearby and eclipsing a small star — became a prime target for studying sub-Neptune atmospheres.

Images

Artist's impression of the 'water world' GJ 1214 b and its red-dwarf star — an artist's concept, not a photograph. — ESO / L. Calçada (CC BY 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Images from open archives · credit shown per image