Kepler-286 e
Kepler-286 e is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-286 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 4,001 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-286 e?
Kepler-286 e has a radius of 1.77 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-286 e in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-286 e orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-286. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-286: 0.611–1.448 AU (conservative: 0.774–1.373 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-286 e — one full orbit around Kepler-286 — lasts 29.2 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.176 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-286 e Discovered?
Kepler-286 e 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-286 e?
Kepler-286 e is 4,001.4 light-years (1,226.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 4,001 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 70,424,640 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-286 e scores 0.32, ranking #1,029 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-286
Kepler-286
- Surface temperature
- 5,580 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Radius
- 0.86 R☉
The Kepler-286 Planetary System
Kepler-286 e is one of 4 known planets in the Kepler-286 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-286 b (Terrestrial)
- Kepler-286 c (Super Earth)
- Kepler-286 d (Super Earth)
Kepler-286 e — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.770 Earth radii (0.158 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 29.22 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.176 AU |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.32 |
| Distance from Earth | 4,001.4 light-years (1,226.9 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-286 e
Is Kepler-286 e habitable?
No — Kepler-286 e orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-286 e?
Kepler-286 e is about 4,001 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 70,424,640 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-286 e compared to Earth?
Kepler-286 e has 1.77 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-286 e?
One orbit around Kepler-286 takes 29.2 Earth days — short enough that 12 of its years would fit into one Earth year.