Kepler-52 b
Kepler-52 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-52 in the constellation Draco. It lies about 1,049 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2012 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-52 b?
Kepler-52 b has a radius of 2.10 times that of Earth. Its mass is 135 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-52 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of Kepler-52 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-52 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of Kepler-52: 0.209–0.528 AU (conservative: 0.265–0.501 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-52 b — one full orbit around Kepler-52 — lasts 7.88 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was Kepler-52 b Discovered?
Kepler-52 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-52 b?
Kepler-52 b is 1,048.7 light-years (321.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,049 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 18,457,120 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-52 b scores 0.30, ranking #1,343 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-52
Kepler-52
- Surface temperature
- 4,075 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.54 M☉
- Radius
- 0.52 R☉
The Kepler-52 Planetary System
Kepler-52 b is one of 3 known planets in the Kepler-52 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-52 c (Super Earth)
- Kepler-52 d (Super Earth)
Kepler-52 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.100 Earth radii (0.187 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 135.00 Earth masses (0.425 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 7.88 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.30 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,048.7 light-years (321.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Draco |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2012 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2021-09-22. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-52 b
Is Kepler-52 b habitable?
Kepler-52 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-52, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is Kepler-52 b?
Kepler-52 b is about 1,049 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 18,457,120 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-52 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-52 b has 2.10 times the radius of Earth and about 135 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-52 b?
One orbit around Kepler-52 takes 7.9 Earth days — short enough that 46 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore Kepler-52 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.
