Kepler-1126 c
Kepler-1126 c is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-1126 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 2,074 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2023 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-1126 c?
Kepler-1126 c has a radius of 1.45 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-1126 c in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-1126 c orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-1126. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
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 ›
Temperature on Kepler-1126 c
The equilibrium temperature of Kepler-1126 c is about 305 K (32 °C) — in a range broadly comparable to Earth, whose equilibrium temperature is 255 K. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C. It receives 2.06 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on Kepler-1126 c — one full orbit around Kepler-1126 — lasts 199.7 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.619 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System.
How Was Kepler-1126 c Discovered?
Kepler-1126 c was discovered in 2023 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 c?
Kepler-1126 c 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 c scores 0.72, ranking #48 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 c is one of 2 known planets in the Kepler-1126 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-1126 b (Super Earth)
Kepler-1126 c — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.450 Earth radii (0.129 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 199.67 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.619 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 305 K (32 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 2.06× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.72 |
| Distance from Earth | 2,073.5 light-years (635.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Lyra |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2023 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2017-05-08. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-1126 c
Is Kepler-1126 c habitable?
No — Kepler-1126 c orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-1126 c?
Kepler-1126 c 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 c compared to Earth?
Kepler-1126 c has 1.45 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-1126 c?
One orbit around Kepler-1126 takes 199.7 Earth days.
Explore Kepler-1126 c in the app
Browse, filter and compare 6,000+ exoplanets on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch — with habitable-zone views, widgets and offline data.
