Kepler-424 c
Kepler-424 c is a cold gas giant orbiting Kepler-424 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 2,279 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the radial velocity method. It orbits within the habitable zone of its star — the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface.
Is Kepler-424 c in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-424 c orbits within the optimistic habitable zone of Kepler-424 — the broader region where liquid water might be possible under favorable atmospheric conditions.
Habitable zone of Kepler-424: 0.643–1.530 AU (conservative: 0.815–1.450 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-424 c — one full orbit around Kepler-424 — lasts 223.3 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.730 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System.
How Was Kepler-424 c Discovered?
Kepler-424 c was discovered in 2014 using the radial velocity method, with observations from McDonald Observatory.
The radial velocity method measures the subtle wobble of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet, visible as periodic shifts in the star's light spectrum. The size of the wobble reveals the planet's minimum mass.
How Far Away Is Kepler-424 c?
Kepler-424 c is 2,278.7 light-years (698.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 2,279 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 40,105,120 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-424 c scores 0.39, ranking #536 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-424
Kepler-424
- Surface temperature
- 5,460 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.01 M☉
- Radius
- 0.94 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.7079 L☉
The Kepler-424 Planetary System
Kepler-424 c is one of 2 known planets in the Kepler-424 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-424 b (Hot Jupiter)
Kepler-424 c — Complete Data
| Mass (best estimate) | 2,215.18 Earth masses |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 223.30 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.730 AU |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.39 |
| Distance from Earth | 2,278.7 light-years (698.6 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Discovery method | Radial Velocity |
| Discovery facility | McDonald Observatory |
| Discovery year | 2014 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-10-03. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-424 c
Is Kepler-424 c habitable?
Kepler-424 c orbits within the habitable zone of Kepler-424, the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. Whether it is actually habitable depends on its atmosphere and composition, which remain unknown.
How far away is Kepler-424 c?
Kepler-424 c is about 2,279 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 40,105,120 years to get there.
How long is a year on Kepler-424 c?
One orbit around Kepler-424 takes 223.3 Earth days.
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