The Tau Ceti System

Click the images to enlarge.

The Tau Ceti System

Tau Ceti

Tau Ceti from the distance of Planet A

Tau Ceti from Planet A
Image generated in Celestia

Mass 1.7×1030 kg (.78 solar masses)1
Spectral Type G8.5 V2
Distance from Earth 11.88 light years3

Tau Ceti a

The planet Tau Ceti a from space
Image courtesy of the Peterian Ministry of Science

Circumference 35,464.08 km
Diameter 11,288.58 km (.88 Earth diameters)
Volume 7.532×1011 km3
Mass 5.317×1024 kg (.89 Earth masses)
Density 7.06 g/cm3
Axial Tilt 21.73°
Rotation Period .874 Earth days
Orbital Data
Eccentricity .015
Semi-Major Axis 121,485,000 km
Orbital Period 0.83 Earth years (302.6 Earth days)
Apastron 1.233×108 km
Periastron 1.197×108 km

Moons

Diagram showing the relative diameters of Tau Ceti a and its moons

Tau Ceti a and its moons

View of the sky showing Paula Luna and Nova Luna respectively, facing south and looking straight up from Tau Ceti a's equator at an area of sky 90° across. At full size, 14 pixels equals roughly one degree.

The moons in the sky

Nova Luna

Circumference 9,931.64 km
Diameter 3,161.34 km (.91 lunar diameters)
Angular Diameter (from Tau Ceti a) 0.82°
Volume 1.654×1010 km3
Area 3.14×107 km2
Mass 4.335×1022 kg (.59 lunar masses)
Density 2.62 g/cm3
Inclination (to Tau Ceti a's orbital plane) 7.36°
Orbital Data
Eccentricity .072
Semi-Major Axis 227,295 km
Orbital Period 13.18 Earth days
Apokalentarion 2.437×105 km
Perikalentarion 2.109×105 km

Paula Luna

Circumference 5,678.49 km
Diameter 1,807.52 km (.52 lunar diameters)
Angular Diameter (from Tau Ceti a) 0.15°
Volume 3.092×109 km3
Area 1.026×107 km2
Mass 2.425×1022 kg (.33 lunar masses)
Density 7.84 g/cm3
Inclination (to Tau Ceti a's orbital plane) 12.78°
Orbital Data
Eccentricity .038
Semi-Major Axis 674,700 km
Orbital Period 67.50 Earth days
Apokalentarion 7.003×105 km
Perikalentarion 6.491×105 km

View of Tau Ceti a's night sky, centered on the sun

Tau Ceti a's night sky
Image generated in Celestia


1 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=tau%20ceti%20mass
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tau_Ceti
3 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=tau%20ceti%20distance

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