KELT-6 b
KELT-6 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting KELT-6 in the constellation Coma Berenices. It lies about 785 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is KELT-6 b?
KELT-6 b has a radius of 14.57 times that of Earth, or 1.30 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 165 times that of Earth.
Is KELT-6 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of KELT-6 b relative to the habitable zone of KELT-6 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of KELT-6: 1.420–3.319 AU (conservative: 1.798–3.147 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-6 b — one full orbit around KELT-6 — lasts 7.85 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.22).
How Was KELT-6 b Discovered?
KELT-6 b was discovered in 2014 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-6 b?
KELT-6 b is 785.1 light-years (240.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1241. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 13,817,760 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-6 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,074 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: KELT-6
KELT-6
- Surface temperature
- 6,102 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.42 M☉
- Radius
- 1.73 R☉
The KELT-6 Planetary System
KELT-6 b is one of 2 known planets in the KELT-6 system. Its siblings:
- KELT-6 c (Cold Gas Giant)
KELT-6 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 14.572 Earth radii (1.300 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 165.27 Earth masses (0.520 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 7.85 days |
| Eccentricity | 0.220 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 785.1 light-years (240.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Coma Berenices |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | KELT |
| Discovery year | 2014 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-04-25. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About KELT-6 b
Is KELT-6 b habitable?
KELT-6 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of KELT-6, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is KELT-6 b?
KELT-6 b is about 785 light-years from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 13,817,760 years to get there.
How big is KELT-6 b compared to Earth?
KELT-6 b has 14.57 times the radius of Earth and about 165 times its mass.
How long is a year on KELT-6 b?
One orbit around KELT-6 takes 7.8 Earth days — short enough that 47 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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