Kepler-437 b
Kepler-437 b is a mini-Neptune orbiting Kepler-437 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 992 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2015 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-437 b?
Kepler-437 b has a radius of 2.14 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-437 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-437 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-437. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-437: 0.332–0.818 AU (conservative: 0.421–0.776 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 ›
Temperature on Kepler-437 b
Kepler-437 b receives 2.15 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on Kepler-437 b — one full orbit around Kepler-437 — lasts 66.7 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.288 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.020).
How Was Kepler-437 b Discovered?
Kepler-437 b was discovered in 2015 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-437 b?
Kepler-437 b is 991.5 light-years (304.0 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1035. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 17,450,400 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-437 b scores 0.64, ranking #104 of 5,565 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-437
Kepler-437
- Surface temperature
- 4,551 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.71 M☉
- Radius
- 0.68 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.1730 L☉
- Age
- 2.9 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
Kepler-437 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-437 so far.
Kepler-437 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.140 Earth radii (0.190 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 66.65 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.288 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.020 |
| Stellar irradiation | 2.15× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.64 |
| Distance from Earth | 991.5 light-years (304.0 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2015 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2015-01-06. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-437 b
Is Kepler-437 b habitable?
No — Kepler-437 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-437 b?
Kepler-437 b is about 992 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 17,450,400 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-437 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-437 b has 2.14 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-437 b?
One orbit around Kepler-437 takes 66.7 Earth days.