Exoplanets & habitability · r = √(L / L☉) (Earth-flux orbit)

Equal-Insolation Distance

The orbital distance at which a planet receives the same starlight per square metre as Earth does from the Sun — a first anchor for the habitable zone. It scales with the square root of the star's luminosity.

Star luminosity (L☉)

Earth-flux distance1AU

Formula: r = √(L / L☉) (Earth-flux orbit)

Worked example

With the default inputs, equal-insolation distance evaluates to 1 AU — 1 L☉ → 1 AU. The validator recomputes this against the known value on every build, so the formula is checked, not asserted.

Highlights

›1 L☉ → 1 AU

Habitable zone

Knowledge connections

Associated withHabitable zone

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

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Equal-Insolation Distance

Worked example

Highlights

The physics behind it

Knowledge connections

Sources

Equal-Insolation Distance

Worked example

Highlights

The physics behind it

Knowledge connections

Sources