PSR B1257+12 d

Planet· orbits the Sun

PSR B1257+12 d ('Phobetor') — a super-Earth (~3.9 M⊕) on a 98-day orbit, the outermost of the three, and the other of the first two exoplanets ever confirmed. Mass is a timing minimum; no density is quoted.

Open in 3D viewSee PSR B1257+12 d in the live, interactive 3D map

Key facts

Minimum mass
2.33 × 10²⁵ kg
3.9 M⊕
Year
98.21 Earth days
Distance from PSR B1257+12
0.46 AU

Science

Physical

Minimum mass (m·sin i)
2.33 × 10²⁵ kg · 3.9 M⊕
Radius
Not measured

Orbital

Semi-major axis
0.46 AU
Eccentricity
0.0264
Inclination
0.00 °
Orbital period
98.2 days
Perihelion
0.448 AU
Aphelion
0.472 AU
Mean orbital velocity
51 km/s

Composition

Bulk composition
A super-Earth of ~3.9 Earth masses on a 98-day orbit, the outermost of the three — and, with c, among the first exoplanets ever confirmed. Irradiated by the pulsar; unimaged.
Surface appearance
Appearance based on NASA/JPL-Caltech's artist's concept. No spacecraft has imaged this world, so its real appearance is unknown — The surface shown is an artistic representation, shown only in Vision mode; Realism shows a plain spectral colour.

Discovery & history

Method
Pulsar-timing detection
Name
Designated 'd' under the IAU planet-lettering convention; no IAU proper name has been assigned. (Historically also labelled A, B, C.)

One of the two planets announced in 1992 — among the first exoplanets ever confirmed.

Images

Never imaged — this world is known only from the split-second shifts it causes in its pulsar's radio beat. An artist's concept of the whole system is on the system view; no image of the planet itself exists.