K2-102 b
K2-102 b is a super-Earth orbiting K2-102 in the constellation Cancer. It lies about 614 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.
How Big Is K2-102 b?
K2-102 b has a radius of 1.30 times that of Earth.
Is K2-102 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of K2-102 b relative to the habitable zone of K2-102 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of K2-102: 0.372–0.912 AU (conservative: 0.472–0.865 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
See the full interactive habitable-zone view in the Exoplanet Explorer app ›
Orbit and Year Length
A year on K2-102 b — one full orbit around K2-102 — lasts 9.92 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.10).
How Was K2-102 b Discovered?
K2-102 b was discovered in 2016 using the transit method, with observations from K2.
The transit method watches a star for the tiny, regular dip in brightness that occurs when a planet crosses in front of it. The depth and timing of these dips reveal the planet's size and orbital period.
How Far Away Is K2-102 b?
K2-102 b is 613.7 light-years (188.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1413. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 10,801,120 years to make the journey.
Earth Similarity Index
The Earth Similarity Index (ESI) scores how physically similar a planet is to Earth, from 0 to 1, based on radius, density, escape velocity and surface temperature. K2-102 b scores 0.33, ranking #940 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: K2-102
K2-102
- Surface temperature
- 4,695 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.77 M☉
- Radius
- 0.71 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.2201 L☉
- Age
- 0.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
K2-102 b is the only planet known to orbit K2-102 so far.
K2-102 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.300 Earth radii (0.116 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 9.92 days |
| Eccentricity | 0.100 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.33 |
| Distance from Earth | 613.7 light-years (188.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cancer |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | K2 |
| Discovery year | 2016 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2016-12-20. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About K2-102 b
Is K2-102 b habitable?
K2-102 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of K2-102, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is K2-102 b?
K2-102 b is about 614 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cancer. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 10,801,120 years to get there.
How big is K2-102 b compared to Earth?
K2-102 b has 1.30 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on K2-102 b?
One orbit around K2-102 takes 9.9 Earth days — short enough that 37 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore K2-102 b in the app
Browse, filter and compare 6,000+ exoplanets on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch — with habitable-zone views, widgets and offline data.
