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Kepler-1126 b

Super Earth Lyra

Kepler-1126 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-1126 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 2,074 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.

1.73×Earth radius
109 dOrbital period
0.50Earth similarity
2,074 lyDistance
2016Discovered

How Big Is Kepler-1126 b?

Earth1.00 R⊕Kepler-1126 b1.73 R⊕
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Kepler-1126 b has a radius of 1.73 times that of Earth.

Is Kepler-1126 b in the Habitable Zone?

The position of Kepler-1126 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-1126 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Too hot Optimistic habitable zone Conservative habitable zone Too cold

Habitable zone of Kepler-1126: 0.702–1.653 AU (conservative: 0.889–1.567 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-1126 b — one full orbit around Kepler-1126 — lasts 108.6 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days).

How Was Kepler-1126 b Discovered?

Kepler-1126 b was discovered in 2016 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-1126 b?

Kepler-1126 b is 2,073.5 light-years (635.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 2,074 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 36,493,600 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-1126 b scores 0.50, ranking #247 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: Kepler-1126

Kepler-1126

Surface temperature
5,798 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
Mass
0.92 M☉
Radius
0.93 R☉
Age
5.5 billion years (Sun: 4.6)

The Kepler-1126 Planetary System

Kepler-1126 b is one of 2 known planets in the Kepler-1126 system. Its siblings:

Kepler-1126 b — Complete Data

Radius1.730 Earth radii (0.154 Jupiter radii)
Orbital period108.59 days
Earth Similarity Index0.50
Distance from Earth2,073.5 light-years (635.7 parsecs)
ConstellationLyra
Discovery methodTransit
Discovery facilityKepler
Discovery year2016

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2016-05-06. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-1126 b

Is Kepler-1126 b habitable?

Kepler-1126 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-1126, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is Kepler-1126 b?

Kepler-1126 b is about 2,074 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 36,493,600 years to get there.

How big is Kepler-1126 b compared to Earth?

Kepler-1126 b has 1.73 times the radius of Earth.

How long is a year on Kepler-1126 b?

One orbit around Kepler-1126 takes 108.6 Earth days.

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