Nearest neighbour
Wolf 1061
14 ly away — three planets, the middle one in the habitable zone.
- Planets
- 3
- Distance
- 14.0 ly
- Host
- M-type
About Wolf 1061
Discovery
Wolf 1061 was found to host three planets in 2015 by Wright and colleagues using HARPS radial velocities — a compact rocky-to-super-Earth system around an M3.5V red dwarf 14 light-years away.
Why it matters
Wolf 1061 c sits in the inner habitable zone of one of the nearest red dwarfs — among the closest known potentially habitable worlds, and a natural target for future direct-imaging missions.
Current research
Refined orbital and mass solutions have appeared in subsequent RV work, but the non-transiting geometry leaves atmospheric characterization out of reach for now.
Comparable to
Three planets crammed into the inner orbit of a red dwarf, with the middle one — about four Earth masses — bathing in roughly Earth-like sunlight.
System geometry
At a glance
- Hostname
- Wolf 1061
- Spectral type
- M3.5
- Distance
- 14.0 ly · 4.31 pc
- Stellar mass
- 0.29 M☉
- Stellar radius
- 0.31 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.010 L☉
- Effective temp
- 3342 K
- Confirmed planets
- 3
- Habitable zone
- 0.096 – 0.138 AU
Top-down orbital diagram
Orbits to scale within this system. Dashed green = habitable-zone edges.
Planet positions are illustrative (evenly spaced in phase). For live motion see the 3D scene.
The planets
3 confirmed.
Rocky world
Wolf 1061 b
- Orbit
- 0.037 AU
- Period
- 4.89 days
- Radius
- 1.21 R⊕
- Mass
- 1.91 M⊕
- Eq. temperature
- —
- Eccentricity
- 0.150
- Discovered
- 2015 · Radial Velocity
Sub-Neptune
Wolf 1061 c
- Orbit
- 0.089 AU
- Period
- 17.87 days
- Radius
- 1.66 R⊕
- Mass
- 3.41 M⊕
- Eq. temperature
- —
- Eccentricity
- 0.110
- Discovered
- 2015 · Radial Velocity
Sub-Neptune
Wolf 1061 d
- Orbit
- 0.470 AU
- Period
- 217.21 days
- Radius
- 2.69 R⊕
- Mass
- 7.70 M⊕
- Eq. temperature
- —
- Eccentricity
- 0.550
- Discovered
- 2015 · Radial Velocity
Compared to our Solar System
Each row shows the closest Solar-System analog by radius (log-space). Earth is pinned at the bottom as the constant frame of reference.
| Planet | Radius (R⊕) | Mass (M⊕) | Orbit (AU) | Period (days) | Eq temp (K) | Solar analog |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf 1061 b | 1.21 | 1.91 | 0.037 | 4.89 | — | Earth |
| Wolf 1061 c | 1.66 | 3.41 | 0.089 | 17.87 | — | Earth |
| Wolf 1061 d | 2.69 | 7.70 | 0.470 | 217.21 | — | Neptune |
| Earth (reference) | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.000 | 365.25 | 255 | — |
Research status
◇ JWST observation status
No JWST programs are currently targeting planets in this system. The system may be observed in future cycles or by upcoming missions (Ariel, HWO, Roman).
Discovery timeline
- 2015
3 planets: b, c, d
via Radial Velocity
If you liked this
Other systems in the same theme:
Barnard's Star
4 planets · 6.0 ly · M3.5-4 V
Second-closest star system; planet candidates announced 2024 after decades of false starts.
Ross 128
1 planets · 11.0 ly · M4
A quiet red dwarf 11 ly away with a temperate Earth-mass planet.
Tau Ceti
3 planets · 11.8 ly · G8.5V
Sun-like star 12 ly away — three confirmed planets, with the outermost (h) in the habitable zone.
Related reading
Articles mentioning Wolf 1061:
Experience it
See Wolf 1061 in interactive 3D
Fly through the system, click any planet, watch orbits play out at 100× speed.
▶ Launch 3D scene