Kepler-19 b
Kepler-19 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-19 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 713 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2011 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-19 b?
Kepler-19 b has a radius of 2.21 times that of Earth. Its mass is 6.1 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 3.10 g/cm³ — between that of rocky and gaseous planets.
Is Kepler-19 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-19 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-19. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-19: 0.602–1.427 AU (conservative: 0.762–1.353 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on Kepler-19 b
The equilibrium temperature of Kepler-19 b is about 851 K (578 °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 87.60 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on Kepler-19 b — one full orbit around Kepler-19 — lasts 9.29 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.085 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical (eccentricity 0.41), swinging dramatically closer to and farther from its star.
How Was Kepler-19 b Discovered?
Kepler-19 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-19 b?
Kepler-19 b is 712.9 light-years (218.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1314. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 12,547,040 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-19 b scores 0.26, ranking #2,952 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-19
Kepler-19
- Surface temperature
- 5,544 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.94 M☉
- Radius
- 0.86 R☉
- Age
- 1.9 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The Kepler-19 Planetary System
Kepler-19 b is one of 3 known planets in the Kepler-19 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-19 c (Neptune-like)
- Kepler-19 d (Neptune-like)
Kepler-19 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.209 Earth radii (0.197 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 6.10 Earth masses (0.019 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 3.10 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 9.29 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.085 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.410 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 851 K (578 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 87.60× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.26 |
| Distance from Earth | 712.9 light-years (218.6 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Lyra |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2011 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-04-17. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-19 b
Is Kepler-19 b habitable?
No — Kepler-19 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-19 b?
Kepler-19 b is about 713 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 12,547,040 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-19 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-19 b has 2.21 times the radius of Earth and about 6.1 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-19 b?
One orbit around Kepler-19 takes 9.3 Earth days — short enough that 39 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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