Main Sequence Lifetime:

6 Billion Years

Habitable Zone:

Known Companions:

White Dwarf Procyon B
(Least Distance 14 AU,
1 Orbit in 41 Years)

Procyon

The Desert of Procyon b

Stars of type F are more massive and brighter than the sun, but most of them would still have a classic ecosphere. This zone would be broader and more distant from the parent star. But their main sequence lifetime is shorter by some billion years, so their use as a home for advanced forms of life is somewhat restricted.

Procyon is a star of spectral type F5. Being stable for about 6 billion years, this represents the upper limit for advanced, mammal-like forms of life. A hypothetical, habitable planet within the Procyon system would be a sunnier place than most regions on Earth. Not only does Procyon emit more visible light, this is also true for ultraviolet radiation. Life on Procyon b would require either more protective pigments in their cells or a highly efficient mechanism for DNA repair.

A further obstacle for life in the Procyon system is the presence of a White Dwarf. When Procyon B became a Red Giant some hundred million years ago, the increase in brightness would have severely stressed the climate on our model planet. If it survived the desaster - a real possibility - the world of Procyon would be a desert planet now. Any surviving creatures would huddle around the last reservoirs of water - maybe the remnants of once widespread oceans?