Kepler-551 b
Kepler-551 b is a mini-Neptune orbiting Kepler-551 in the constellation Draco. It lies about 1,015 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-551 b?
Kepler-551 b has a radius of 2.73 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-551 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of Kepler-551 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-551 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of Kepler-551: 0.279–0.697 AU (conservative: 0.354–0.660 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-551 b — one full orbit around Kepler-551 — lasts 12.4 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was Kepler-551 b Discovered?
Kepler-551 b was discovered in 2016 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-551 b?
Kepler-551 b is 1,014.9 light-years (311.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1012. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 17,862,240 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-551 b scores 0.30, ranking #1,549 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-551
Kepler-551
- Surface temperature
- 4,286 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.65 M☉
- Radius
- 0.63 R☉
- Age
- 3.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
Kepler-551 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-551 so far.
Kepler-551 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.730 Earth radii (0.244 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 12.38 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.30 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,014.9 light-years (311.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Draco |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2016 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2016-05-06. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-551 b
Is Kepler-551 b habitable?
Kepler-551 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-551, and as a mini-Neptune it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is Kepler-551 b?
Kepler-551 b is about 1,015 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 17,862,240 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-551 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-551 b has 2.73 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-551 b?
One orbit around Kepler-551 takes 12.4 Earth days — short enough that 30 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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