Kepler-281 b
Kepler-281 b is a mini-Neptune orbiting Kepler-281 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 5,693 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-281 b?
Kepler-281 b has a radius of 2.82 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-281 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-281 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-281. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-281: 0.664–1.567 AU (conservative: 0.841–1.486 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-281 b — one full orbit around Kepler-281 — lasts 14.6 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.117 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-281 b Discovered?
Kepler-281 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-281 b?
Kepler-281 b is 5,692.9 light-years (1,745.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 5,693 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 100,195,040 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-281 b scores 0.23, ranking #3,527 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-281
Kepler-281
- Surface temperature
- 5,723 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Radius
- 0.90 R☉
The Kepler-281 Planetary System
Kepler-281 b is one of 3 known planets in the Kepler-281 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-281 c (Neptune-like)
- Kepler-281 d (Neptune-like)
Kepler-281 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.820 Earth radii (0.252 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 14.65 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.117 AU |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.23 |
| Distance from Earth | 5,692.9 light-years (1,745.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| 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-281 b
Is Kepler-281 b habitable?
No — Kepler-281 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-281 b?
Kepler-281 b is about 5,693 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 100,195,040 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-281 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-281 b has 2.82 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-281 b?
One orbit around Kepler-281 takes 14.6 Earth days — short enough that 25 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore Kepler-281 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.
