Kepler-62 b
Kepler-62 b is a super-Earth orbiting the K2 V star Kepler-62 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 981 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2013 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-62 b?
Kepler-62 b has a radius of 1.31 times that of Earth. Its mass is 9.0 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-62 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-62 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-62. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-62: 0.360–0.873 AU (conservative: 0.456–0.828 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on Kepler-62 b
The equilibrium temperature of Kepler-62 b is about 750 K (477 °C) — hot enough to melt many metals. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on Kepler-62 b — one full orbit around Kepler-62 — lasts 5.71 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.055 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-62 b Discovered?
Kepler-62 b was discovered in 2013 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-62 b?
Kepler-62 b is 981.3 light-years (300.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1045. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 17,270,880 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-62 b scores 0.31, ranking #1,208 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-62
Kepler-62
- Spectral type
- K2 V
- Surface temperature
- 4,925 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.69 M☉
- Radius
- 0.64 R☉
- Luminosity
- 0.2099 L☉
- Age
- 7.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The Kepler-62 Planetary System
Kepler-62 b is one of 5 known planets in the Kepler-62 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-62 c (Terrestrial)
- Kepler-62 d (Super Earth)
- Kepler-62 e (Super Earth)
- Kepler-62 f (Super Earth)
Kepler-62 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.310 Earth radii (0.117 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 9.00 Earth masses (0.030 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 5.71 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.055 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 750 K (477 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.31 |
| Distance from Earth | 981.3 light-years (300.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Lyra |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2013 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-62 b
Is Kepler-62 b habitable?
No — Kepler-62 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-62 b?
Kepler-62 b is about 981 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 17,270,880 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-62 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-62 b has 1.31 times the radius of Earth and about 9.0 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-62 b?
One orbit around Kepler-62 takes 5.7 Earth days — short enough that 64 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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