What it’s like to stand here
tau Cet f
weight
≥ 1.20 g
sun
0.62× as wide
sky
warm white

Illustration computed from this world’s measured and derived values, not a photograph.

tau Cet f

tau Cet f is a confirmed sub-Neptune exoplanet 11.8 ly from Earth in the constellation Cetus, discovered in 2017 by Multiple Observatories.

ESI 0.7311.8 lyDiscovered in 2017 by Multiple ObservatoriesDisputed detection

Radial Velocity: spotted by the gravitational wobble the planet tugs in its star.

tau Cet
host star
1.81 R⊕
radius
3.93 M⊕
mass · minimum (m·sin i)
1.7 years
orbital period
-71°C (-96°F)
avg temp
Human scale

Standing on tau Cet f, you would weigh roughly about 20% more than you do on Earth. Its yellow, Sun-like star looks 0.62× as wide as ours, bathing the surface in warm white light. A year here lasts 1.7 Earth years, and at an estimated -71°C (-96°F) it is deeply frozen.

≥ 1.20 g
your weight (minimum mass only)
1.7 years
one year, in Earth time
0.62× as wide
how big its sun looks vs ours
warm white
midday sky tint
0.8×
how high you could jump vs Earth
normal
day/night cycle (not tidally locked)
Calculate your exact weight on tau Cet f
Earth Similarity Index0.73#103 of 5,788 ranked worlds

How closely this world matches Earth in size and warmth, from 0 to 1 (Earth = 1.0). Computed by gravityfinder. See every world ranked →

What these mean: surface gravity · tidal locking · equilibrium temperature · Earth similarity

If your children grew up herea playful thought experiment
EARTH HEIGHT≈ 0.96xEARTH-RAISEDRAISED HERE
much like Earth height

Gravity close to Earth's, at about 1.2 times. A child would grow up much as they would back home.

A playful thought experiment from this world’s gravity, not a prediction about any real person. No human has ever grown up off Earth, so no one truly knows; the direction (taller in low gravity, shorter and stockier in high) follows how growing bodies respond to weight.

Hear how a voice sounds herea computed acoustic demo

Your voice would sound deeper and fuller.

Assuming Earth-like air at this world's temperature of about -71°C (-96°F), sound would travel roughly 16% slower than on Earth, so your voice would sound deeper and fuller. The real atmosphere is unknown, so this is a best guess.

sound speed ≈ 285 m/s · 0.84× Earth · assumes Earth-like air

A real voice sample, pitch-shifted (tempo held constant) to suggest the acoustics: a playful approximation, not a precise simulation. Voice: Lingua Libre / Vealhurl, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The journey
Cosmic travel advisory
★★★★
Recommended, with reservations
  • !Cold at about -71°C (-96°F), survivable only fully suited and heated.
  • Surface gravity is close to Earth's, at least 1.20 times, so you would move much as you do here.

A playful read of tau Cet f’s measured and computed values, not a real advisory.

How long to get there · 11.8 ly away
Jet airliner
14.1 million years
dies en route1000-yr cryo: fails
Parker Solar Probethe fastest craft ever built
18,328 years
dies en route1000-yr cryo: fails
Light speed
12 years
arrives, just older
Warp 10
4 days
arrives thriving
Folding spacetimeinstant, plus 1 hr of paperwork
1 hour
arrives thriving
Size vs Earth
Earthtau Cet f is 1.8× the width of Earth
Explore from here · roam the neighborhood

Zoom out: star → system → (soon) galaxy arm, host black hole, and a real image of the host galaxy.

Can you see it tonight? · observe
VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE
Host-star brightnessmag 3.5
ConstellationCetus
To see the host starno equipment needed
Gear bridge

Matched telescope & eyepiece recommendations are coming. Any product links will carry a clear affiliate disclosure.

Common questions

What is the gravity on tau Cet f?

tau Cet f's surface gravity is at least 1.2 times Earth's, and possibly more: its mass is only a lower bound.

How much would you weigh on tau Cet f?

Someone who weighs 150 pounds on Earth would weigh at least 180 pounds on tau Cet f.

How far is tau Cet f from Earth?

tau Cet f lies about 11.8 light-years from Earth.

How long would it take to get to tau Cet f?

At the speed of NASA's Parker Solar Probe, the fastest craft ever built, the journey would take about 18,328 years.

How hot is tau Cet f?

tau Cet f's equilibrium temperature, the balance it reaches from its star's light alone before any greenhouse warming, is about -71°C (-96°F).

How long is a year on tau Cet f?

tau Cet f completes one orbit of its star in 1.7 years.

Illustration generated from tau Cet f's confirmed parameters, not a photograph.