GJ 536 and Its Two Known Planets

GJ 536 is an M-type dwarf, a small, cool red star, located 34 light-years away. Its mass is 0.528 solar masses and its radius is 0.529 solar radii, both smaller than the Sun's, and its temperature of 3640 K is cooler than the Sun's. The star is 4.2 billion years old. Two planets orbit this host.

Both planets were found by radial velocity, which detects the wobble a planet's gravity induces in its star's motion. GJ 536 b was discovered in 2016, with a minimum mass of 6.37 Earth masses and an orbital period of 8.71 days. GJ 536 c was discovered in 2025, with a minimum mass of 5.89 Earth masses and an orbital period of 32.8 days. Both minimum masses are larger than Earth's. The orbital period is the time a planet takes to complete one orbit. Among the listed planets, GJ 536 b has the shortest year, at 8.71 days, and the largest minimum mass, at 6.37 Earth masses, while GJ 536 c has the longest year, at 32.8 days, and the smallest minimum mass, at 5.89 Earth masses.