Aster › Space program › 55 Cancri e
55 Cancri e
Position on the route: 39/45 · level needed 2800 · journey (Mk0 engine) 346.8 h
By the numbers
| Distance | ≈ 41 light-years |
|---|---|
| Radius | ≈ 1.9 Earths |
| Year | 18 hours |
| Temperature | day side above 2,000 °C (estimate) |
The story
So close to its star that a year lasts only 18 hours; the day-side surface is hot enough to melt rock. Spitzer (2016) measured the temperature difference between day and night sides and showed that the planet may have a thick atmosphere.
A ‘lava world’: its rocky surface may be a molten ocean. Not for life, but a laboratory for understanding hot super-Earths; in the game the only sensible approach is from orbit.
Missions
- Spitzer and Hubble observations (2011–2016)
- JWST: the composition of the atmosphere
Colony note
No life on the surface; only an orbital station. A Mk3 shield.
☠ The day-side surface is over 2,000 °C: rock is molten. Only a station in orbit can be built.
What probes bring back
- About 41 light-years; a year lasts 18 hours. The day side is estimated above 2,000 °C: molten rock.
- Spitzer measured its day–night temperature swing; a thick atmosphere may be present.