Kepler-18 b
Kepler-18 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-18 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 1,412 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2011 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-18 b?
Kepler-18 b has a radius of 2.00 times that of Earth. Its mass is 6.9 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 4.90 g/cm³ — comparable to rocky planets like Earth (5.51 g/cm³).
Is Kepler-18 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-18 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-18. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-18: 0.743–1.772 AU (conservative: 0.940–1.680 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-18 b — one full orbit around Kepler-18 — lasts 3.50 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.045 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-18 b Discovered?
Kepler-18 b was discovered in 2011 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-18 b?
Kepler-18 b is 1,412.4 light-years (433.0 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,412 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 24,858,240 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-18 b scores 0.26, ranking #2,930 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-18
Kepler-18
- Surface temperature
- 5,345 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.97 M☉
- Radius
- 1.11 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.9311 L☉
- Age
- 10.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The Kepler-18 Planetary System
Kepler-18 b is one of 3 known planets in the Kepler-18 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-18 c (Neptune-like)
- Kepler-18 d (Cold Gas Giant)
Kepler-18 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.000 Earth radii (0.178 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 6.90 Earth masses (0.022 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 4.90 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 3.50 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.045 AU |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.26 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,412.4 light-years (433.0 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2011 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2015-11-11. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-18 b
Is Kepler-18 b habitable?
No — Kepler-18 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-18 b?
Kepler-18 b is about 1,412 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 24,858,240 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-18 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-18 b has 2.00 times the radius of Earth and about 6.9 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-18 b?
One orbit around Kepler-18 takes 3.5 Earth days — short enough that 104 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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