Kepler-1655 b
Kepler-1655 b is a mini-Neptune orbiting Kepler-1655 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 696 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2018 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-1655 b?
Kepler-1655 b has a radius of 2.21 times that of Earth. Its mass is 5.4 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 2.72 g/cm³ — between that of rocky and gaseous planets.
Is Kepler-1655 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-1655 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-1655. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-1655: 0.856–1.999 AU (conservative: 1.084–1.895 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-1655 b
The equilibrium temperature of Kepler-1655 b is about 938 K (665 °C) — hot enough to melt many metals. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C. It receives 129 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on Kepler-1655 b — one full orbit around Kepler-1655 — lasts 11.9 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.103 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.19).
How Was Kepler-1655 b Discovered?
Kepler-1655 b was discovered in 2018 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-1655 b?
Kepler-1655 b is 695.6 light-years (213.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1331. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 12,242,560 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-1655 b scores 0.25, ranking #3,015 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-1655
Kepler-1655
- Surface temperature
- 6,148 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.03 M☉
- Radius
- 1.03 R☉
- Age
- 2.6 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
Kepler-1655 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-1655 so far.
Kepler-1655 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.213 Earth radii (0.197 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 5.40 Earth masses (0.017 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 2.72 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 11.87 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.103 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.190 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 938 K (665 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 129.10× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.25 |
| Distance from Earth | 695.6 light-years (213.3 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Lyra |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2018 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-04-17. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-1655 b
Is Kepler-1655 b habitable?
No — Kepler-1655 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-1655 b?
Kepler-1655 b is about 696 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 12,242,560 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-1655 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-1655 b has 2.21 times the radius of Earth and about 5.4 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-1655 b?
One orbit around Kepler-1655 takes 11.9 Earth days — short enough that 31 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore Kepler-1655 b in the app
Browse, filter and compare 6,000+ exoplanets on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch — with habitable-zone views, widgets and offline data.
