Kepler-188 c
Kepler-188 c is a sub-Neptune orbiting Kepler-188 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 3,159 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-188 c?
Kepler-188 c has a radius of 3.19 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-188 c in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-188 c orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-188. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-188: 0.916–2.146 AU (conservative: 1.160–2.034 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-188 c — one full orbit around Kepler-188 — lasts 6.00 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.066 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-188 c Discovered?
Kepler-188 c was discovered in 2014 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-188 c?
Kepler-188 c is 3,159.0 light-years (968.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 3,159 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 55,598,400 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-188 c scores 0.21, ranking #3,808 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-188
Kepler-188
- Surface temperature
- 6,021 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Radius
- 1.14 R☉
The Kepler-188 Planetary System
Kepler-188 c is one of 2 known planets in the Kepler-188 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-188 b (Super Earth)
Kepler-188 c — Complete Data
| Radius | 3.190 Earth radii (0.285 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 6.00 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.066 AU |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.21 |
| Distance from Earth | 3,159.0 light-years (968.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Lyra |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2014 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-188 c
Is Kepler-188 c habitable?
No — Kepler-188 c orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-188 c?
Kepler-188 c is about 3,159 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 55,598,400 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-188 c compared to Earth?
Kepler-188 c has 3.19 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-188 c?
One orbit around Kepler-188 takes 6.0 Earth days — short enough that 61 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore Kepler-188 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.
