Kepler-11 e
Kepler-11 e is a Neptune-like planet orbiting Kepler-11 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 2,108 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2010 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-11 e?
Kepler-11 e has a radius of 4.19 times that of Earth. Its mass is 8.0 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.58 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is Kepler-11 e in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-11 e orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-11. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-11: 0.773–1.827 AU (conservative: 0.979–1.732 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 Kepler-11 e — one full orbit around Kepler-11 — lasts 32.0 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.195 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.012).
How Was Kepler-11 e Discovered?
Kepler-11 e was discovered in 2010 using the transit method, with observations from Kepler.
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 Kepler-11 e?
Kepler-11 e is 2,108.1 light-years (646.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 2,108 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 37,102,560 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. Kepler-11 e scores 0.20, ranking #3,848 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-11
Kepler-11
- Surface temperature
- 5,663 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.96 M☉
- Radius
- 1.07 R☉
- Age
- 8.5 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The Kepler-11 Planetary System
Kepler-11 e is one of 6 known planets in the Kepler-11 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-11 b (Mini Neptune)
- Kepler-11 c (Puffy Planet)
- Kepler-11 d (Puffy Planet)
- Kepler-11 f (Puffy Planet)
- Kepler-11 g (Super Earth)
Kepler-11 e — Complete Data
| Radius | 4.190 Earth radii (0.374 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 8.00 Earth masses (0.025 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.58 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 32.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.195 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.012 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.20 |
| Distance from Earth | 2,108.1 light-years (646.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2010 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-11 e
Is Kepler-11 e habitable?
No — Kepler-11 e orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-11 e?
Kepler-11 e is about 2,108 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 37,102,560 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-11 e compared to Earth?
Kepler-11 e has 4.19 times the radius of Earth and about 8.0 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-11 e?
One orbit around Kepler-11 takes 32.0 Earth days — short enough that 11 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore Kepler-11 e in the app
Browse, filter and compare 6,000+ exoplanets on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch — with habitable-zone views, widgets and offline data.
