Kepler-230 b
Kepler-230 b is a Neptune-like planet orbiting Kepler-230 in the constellation Draco. It lies about 2,416 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-230 b?
Kepler-230 b has a radius of 4.26 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-230 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-230 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-230. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-230: 0.580–1.374 AU (conservative: 0.735–1.302 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-230 b — one full orbit around Kepler-230 — lasts 32.6 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.191 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-230 b Discovered?
Kepler-230 b 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-230 b?
Kepler-230 b is 2,416.0 light-years (740.8 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 2,416 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 42,521,600 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-230 b scores 0.26, ranking #2,864 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-230
Kepler-230
- Surface temperature
- 5,588 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Radius
- 0.82 R☉
The Kepler-230 Planetary System
Kepler-230 b is one of 2 known planets in the Kepler-230 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-230 c (Mini Neptune)
Kepler-230 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 4.260 Earth radii (0.380 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 32.63 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.191 AU |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.26 |
| Distance from Earth | 2,416.0 light-years (740.8 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Draco |
| 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-230 b
Is Kepler-230 b habitable?
No — Kepler-230 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-230 b?
Kepler-230 b is about 2,416 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 42,521,600 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-230 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-230 b has 4.26 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-230 b?
One orbit around Kepler-230 takes 32.6 Earth days — short enough that 11 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore Kepler-230 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.
