K2-90 c
K2-90 c is a super-Earth orbiting K2-90 in the constellation Taurus. It lies about 438 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.
How Big Is K2-90 c?
K2-90 c has a radius of 1.30 times that of Earth.
Is K2-90 c in the Habitable Zone?
K2-90 c orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of K2-90. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of K2-90: 0.298–0.737 AU (conservative: 0.378–0.699 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 K2-90 c
K2-90 c receives 80.80 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on K2-90 c — one full orbit around K2-90 — lasts 2.90 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.035 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.19).
How Was K2-90 c Discovered?
K2-90 c 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 K2-90 c?
K2-90 c is 437.7 light-years (134.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1589. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 7,703,520 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. K2-90 c scores 0.30, ranking #1,302 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: K2-90
K2-90
- Surface temperature
- 4,484 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.63 M☉
- Radius
- 0.62 R☉
The K2-90 Planetary System
K2-90 c is one of 2 known planets in the K2-90 system. Its siblings:
- K2-90 b (Mini Neptune)
K2-90 c — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.300 Earth radii (0.116 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 2.90 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.035 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.190 |
| Stellar irradiation | 80.80× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.30 |
| Distance from Earth | 437.7 light-years (134.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Taurus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | K2 |
| Discovery year | 2016 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2017-12-12. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About K2-90 c
Is K2-90 c habitable?
No — K2-90 c orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is K2-90 c?
K2-90 c is about 438 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 7,703,520 years to get there.
How big is K2-90 c compared to Earth?
K2-90 c has 1.30 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on K2-90 c?
One orbit around K2-90 takes 2.9 Earth days — short enough that 126 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore K2-90 c in the app
Browse, filter and compare 6,000+ exoplanets on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch — with habitable-zone views, widgets and offline data.
