Kepler-49 b
Kepler-49 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-49 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 1,015 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2012 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-49 b?
Kepler-49 b has a radius of 2.58 times that of Earth. Its mass is 9.8 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 3.08 g/cm³ — between that of rocky and gaseous planets.
Is Kepler-49 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of Kepler-49 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-49 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of Kepler-49: 0.251–0.633 AU (conservative: 0.318–0.600 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-49 b — one full orbit around Kepler-49 — lasts 7.20 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was Kepler-49 b Discovered?
Kepler-49 b was discovered in 2012 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-49 b?
Kepler-49 b is 1,015.1 light-years (311.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1011. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 17,865,760 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-49 b scores 0.28, ranking #2,296 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-49
Kepler-49
- Surface temperature
- 4,096 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.61 M☉
- Radius
- 0.62 R☉
The Kepler-49 Planetary System
Kepler-49 b is one of 4 known planets in the Kepler-49 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-49 c (Super Earth)
- Kepler-49 d (Super Earth)
- Kepler-49 e (Super Earth)
Kepler-49 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.579 Earth radii (0.230 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 9.77 Earth masses (0.031 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 3.08 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 7.20 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.28 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,015.1 light-years (311.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2012 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2024-06-10. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-49 b
Is Kepler-49 b habitable?
Kepler-49 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-49, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is Kepler-49 b?
Kepler-49 b is about 1,015 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 17,865,760 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-49 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-49 b has 2.58 times the radius of Earth and about 9.8 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-49 b?
One orbit around Kepler-49 takes 7.2 Earth days — short enough that 51 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore Kepler-49 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.
