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K2-165 b

Super Earth Virgo

K2-165 b is a super-Earth orbiting K2-165 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 439 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2018 using the transit method.

1.27×Earth radius
2.4 dOrbital period
0.29Earth similarity
439 lyDistance
2018Discovered

How Big Is K2-165 b?

Earth1.00 R⊕K2-165 b1.27 R⊕
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K2-165 b has a radius of 1.27 times that of Earth.

Is K2-165 b in the Habitable Zone?

The position of K2-165 b relative to the habitable zone of K2-165 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Too hot Optimistic habitable zone Conservative habitable zone Too cold

Habitable zone of K2-165: 0.502–1.206 AU (conservative: 0.636–1.143 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.

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Orbit and Year Length

A year on K2-165 b — one full orbit around K2-165 — lasts 2.35 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.

How Was K2-165 b Discovered?

K2-165 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 K2-165 b?

K2-165 b is 439.0 light-years (134.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1587. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 7,726,400 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. K2-165 b scores 0.29, ranking #1,778 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: K2-165

K2-165

Surface temperature
5,185 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
Mass
0.83 M☉
Radius
0.80 R☉

The K2-165 Planetary System

K2-165 b is one of 3 known planets in the K2-165 system. Its siblings:

K2-165 b — Complete Data

Radius1.274 Earth radii (0.114 Jupiter radii)
Orbital period2.35 days
Earth Similarity Index0.29
Distance from Earth439.0 light-years (134.6 parsecs)
ConstellationVirgo
Discovery methodTransit
Discovery facilityK2
Discovery year2018

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-02-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About K2-165 b

Is K2-165 b habitable?

K2-165 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of K2-165, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is K2-165 b?

K2-165 b is about 439 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 7,726,400 years to get there.

How big is K2-165 b compared to Earth?

K2-165 b has 1.27 times the radius of Earth.

How long is a year on K2-165 b?

One orbit around K2-165 takes 2.4 Earth days — short enough that 155 of its years would fit into one Earth year.

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