kap CrB b
kap CrB b is a cold gas giant orbiting the K0 III-IV star kap CrB in the constellation Corona Borealis. It lies about 98 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2007 using the radial velocity method.
Is kap CrB b in the Habitable Zone?
kap CrB b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of kap CrB. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of kap CrB: 2.600–6.328 AU (conservative: 3.294–6.000 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 kap CrB b — one full orbit around kap CrB — lasts 1,253.7 Earth days, longer than an Earth year. It orbits at an average distance of 2.500 AU. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.040).
How Was kap CrB b Discovered?
kap CrB b was discovered in 2007 using the radial velocity method, with observations from Lick Observatory.
The radial velocity method measures the subtle wobble of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet, visible as periodic shifts in the star's light spectrum. The size of the wobble reveals the planet's minimum mass.
How Far Away Is kap CrB b?
kap CrB b is 98.1 light-years (30.1 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1928. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 1,726,560 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. kap CrB b scores 0.36, ranking #684 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: kap CrB
kap CrB
- Spectral type
- K0 III-IV
- Surface temperature
- 4,840 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.33 M☉
- Radius
- 4.68 R☉
- Luminosity
- 10.8600 L☉
Planetary System
kap CrB b is the only planet known to orbit kap CrB so far.
kap CrB b — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 483.73 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 1,253.68 days |
| Orbital distance | 2.500 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.040 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.36 |
| Distance from Earth | 98.1 light-years (30.1 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Corona Borealis |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | Lick Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2007 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-09-19. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About kap CrB b
Is kap CrB b habitable?
No — kap CrB b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is kap CrB b?
kap CrB b is about 98 light-years from Earth in the constellation Corona Borealis. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 1,726,560 years to get there.
How long is a year on kap CrB b?
One orbit around kap CrB takes 1,253.7 Earth days.
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