Kepler-378 b
Kepler-378 b is a terrestrial planet orbiting Kepler-378 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 496 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-378 b?
Kepler-378 b has a radius of 0.75 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-378 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-378 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-378. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-378: 0.347–0.851 AU (conservative: 0.440–0.807 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-378 b — one full orbit around Kepler-378 — lasts 16.1 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.112 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-378 b Discovered?
Kepler-378 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-378 b?
Kepler-378 b is 496.1 light-years (152.1 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1530. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 8,731,360 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-378 b scores 0.36, ranking #693 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-378
Kepler-378
- Surface temperature
- 4,661 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Radius
- 0.67 R☉
The Kepler-378 Planetary System
Kepler-378 b is one of 2 known planets in the Kepler-378 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-378 c (Terrestrial)
Kepler-378 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 0.750 Earth radii (0.067 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 16.09 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.112 AU |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.36 |
| Distance from Earth | 496.1 light-years (152.1 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-378 b
Is Kepler-378 b habitable?
No — Kepler-378 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-378 b?
Kepler-378 b is about 496 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 8,731,360 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-378 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-378 b has 0.75 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-378 b?
One orbit around Kepler-378 takes 16.1 Earth days — short enough that 23 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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