KELT-3 b
KELT-3 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting KELT-3 in the constellation Leo Minor. It lies about 686 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2013 using the transit method.
How Big Is KELT-3 b?
KELT-3 b has a radius of 17.49 times that of Earth, or 1.56 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 617 times that of Earth.
Is KELT-3 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of KELT-3 b relative to the habitable zone of KELT-3 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of KELT-3: 1.471–3.425 AU (conservative: 1.863–3.247 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 KELT-3 b — one full orbit around KELT-3 — lasts 2.70 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was KELT-3 b Discovered?
KELT-3 b was discovered in 2013 using the transit method, with observations from KELT.
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 KELT-3 b?
KELT-3 b is 685.7 light-years (210.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1341. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 12,068,320 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. KELT-3 b scores 0.05, ranking #5,251 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: KELT-3
KELT-3 b belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits KELT-3.
KELT-3
- Surface temperature
- 6,304 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.96 M☉
- Radius
- 1.70 R☉
Planetary System
KELT-3 b is the only planet known to orbit KELT-3 so far.
KELT-3 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 17.486 Earth radii (1.560 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 616.59 Earth masses (1.940 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 2.70 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.05 |
| Distance from Earth | 685.7 light-years (210.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Leo Minor |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | KELT |
| Discovery year | 2013 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-04-25. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About KELT-3 b
Is KELT-3 b habitable?
KELT-3 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of KELT-3, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is KELT-3 b?
KELT-3 b is about 686 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo Minor. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 12,068,320 years to get there.
How big is KELT-3 b compared to Earth?
KELT-3 b has 17.49 times the radius of Earth and about 617 times its mass.
How long is a year on KELT-3 b?
One orbit around KELT-3 takes 2.7 Earth days — short enough that 135 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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