K2-150 b
K2-150 b is a super-Earth orbiting the M2.5 V star K2-150 in the constellation Pisces. It lies about 334 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2018 using the transit method.
How Big Is K2-150 b?
K2-150 b has a radius of 2.00 times that of Earth.
Is K2-150 b in the Habitable Zone?
K2-150 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of K2-150. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of K2-150: 0.132–0.342 AU (conservative: 0.167–0.324 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on K2-150 b
K2-150 b receives 4.90 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on K2-150 b — one full orbit around K2-150 — lasts 10.6 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.073 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was K2-150 b Discovered?
K2-150 b was discovered in 2018 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 K2-150 b?
K2-150 b is 334.3 light-years (102.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1692. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 5,883,680 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. K2-150 b scores 0.48, ranking #286 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: K2-150
K2-150
- Spectral type
- M2.5 V
- Surface temperature
- 3,499 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.46 M☉
- Radius
- 0.44 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.0260 L☉
Planetary System
K2-150 b is the only planet known to orbit K2-150 so far.
K2-150 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.000 Earth radii (0.178 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 10.59 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.073 AU |
| Stellar irradiation | 4.90× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.48 |
| Distance from Earth | 334.3 light-years (102.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Pisces |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | K2 |
| Discovery year | 2018 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-02-01. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About K2-150 b
Is K2-150 b habitable?
No — K2-150 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is K2-150 b?
K2-150 b is about 334 light-years from Earth in the constellation Pisces. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 5,883,680 years to get there.
How big is K2-150 b compared to Earth?
K2-150 b has 2.00 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on K2-150 b?
One orbit around K2-150 takes 10.6 Earth days — short enough that 34 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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