K2-232 b
K2-232 b is a cold gas giant orbiting the F star K2-232 in the constellation Taurus. It lies about 426 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2018 using the transit method.
How Big Is K2-232 b?
K2-232 b has a radius of 11.62 times that of Earth, or 1.04 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 136 times that of Earth.
Is K2-232 b in the Habitable Zone?
K2-232 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of K2-232. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of K2-232: 0.992–2.320 AU (conservative: 1.257–2.200 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 K2-232 b — one full orbit around K2-232 — lasts 11.2 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.102 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.25).
How Was K2-232 b Discovered?
K2-232 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 K2-232 b?
K2-232 b is 426.4 light-years (130.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1600. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 7,504,640 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. K2-232 b scores 0.08, ranking #4,573 of 5,565 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: K2-232
K2-232
- Spectral type
- F
- Surface temperature
- 6,100 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.12 M☉
- Radius
- 1.21 R☉
- Age
- 3.9 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The K2-232 Planetary System
K2-232 b is one of 2 known planets in the K2-232 system. Its siblings:
- K2-232 c (Cold Gas Giant)
K2-232 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 11.624 Earth radii (1.037 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 135.71 Earth masses (0.427 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 11.17 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.102 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.245 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.08 |
| Distance from Earth | 426.4 light-years (130.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Taurus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | K2 |
| Discovery year | 2018 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2026-09-25. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About K2-232 b
Is K2-232 b habitable?
No — K2-232 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is K2-232 b?
K2-232 b is about 426 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 7,504,640 years to get there.
How big is K2-232 b compared to Earth?
K2-232 b has 11.62 times the radius of Earth and about 136 times its mass.
How long is a year on K2-232 b?
One orbit around K2-232 takes 11.2 Earth days — short enough that 33 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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