Kepler-1979 b
Kepler-1979 b is a cold gas giant orbiting Kepler-1979 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 3,510 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2023 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-1979 b?
Kepler-1979 b has a radius of 29.33 times that of Earth, or 2.62 times the radius of Jupiter.
Is Kepler-1979 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-1979 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-1979. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-1979: 0.737–1.729 AU (conservative: 0.934–1.640 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on Kepler-1979 b
The equilibrium temperature of Kepler-1979 b is about 683 K (410 °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 51.32 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on Kepler-1979 b — one full orbit around Kepler-1979 — lasts 18.5 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.138 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-1979 b Discovered?
Kepler-1979 b 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-1979 b?
Kepler-1979 b is 3,510.3 light-years (1,076.3 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 3,510 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 61,781,280 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-1979 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,217 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-1979
Kepler-1979
- Surface temperature
- 5,942 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.03 M☉
- Radius
- 0.94 R☉
Planetary System
Kepler-1979 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-1979 so far.
Kepler-1979 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 29.330 Earth radii (2.617 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 18.51 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.138 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 683 K (410 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 51.32× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 3,510.3 light-years (1,076.3 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-1979 b
Is Kepler-1979 b habitable?
No — Kepler-1979 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-1979 b?
Kepler-1979 b is about 3,510 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 61,781,280 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-1979 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-1979 b has 29.33 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-1979 b?
One orbit around Kepler-1979 takes 18.5 Earth days — short enough that 20 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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