K2-130 b
K2-130 b is a terrestrial planet orbiting K2-130 in the constellation Sagittarius. It lies about 385 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2017 using the transit method.
How Big Is K2-130 b?
K2-130 b has a radius of 1.25 times that of Earth.
Is K2-130 b in the Habitable Zone?
K2-130 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of K2-130. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of K2-130: 0.340–0.846 AU (conservative: 0.431–0.802 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 ›
Temperature on K2-130 b
K2-130 b receives 136 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on K2-130 b — one full orbit around K2-130 — lasts 2.49 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.032 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.17).
How Was K2-130 b Discovered?
K2-130 b was discovered in 2017 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 K2-130 b?
K2-130 b is 384.9 light-years (118.0 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1642. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 6,774,240 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. K2-130 b scores 0.30, ranking #1,457 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: K2-130
K2-130
- Surface temperature
- 4,356 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.70 M☉
- Radius
- 0.74 R☉
Planetary System
K2-130 b is the only planet known to orbit K2-130 so far.
K2-130 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.250 Earth radii (0.112 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 2.49 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.032 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.170 |
| Stellar irradiation | 136.40× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.30 |
| Distance from Earth | 384.9 light-years (118.0 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | K2 |
| Discovery year | 2017 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2017-10-03. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About K2-130 b
Is K2-130 b habitable?
No — K2-130 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is K2-130 b?
K2-130 b is about 385 light-years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 6,774,240 years to get there.
How big is K2-130 b compared to Earth?
K2-130 b has 1.25 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on K2-130 b?
One orbit around K2-130 takes 2.5 Earth days — short enough that 146 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore K2-130 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.
