Kepler-62 e
Kepler-62 e 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. It orbits within the habitable zone of its star — the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface.
How Big Is Kepler-62 e?
Kepler-62 e has a radius of 1.61 times that of Earth. Its mass is 36.0 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-62 e in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-62 e orbits within the optimistic habitable zone of Kepler-62 — the broader region where liquid water might be possible under favorable atmospheric conditions.
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.
See the full interactive habitable-zone view in the Exoplanet Explorer app ›
Temperature on Kepler-62 e
The equilibrium temperature of Kepler-62 e is about 270 K (-3 °C) — in a range broadly comparable to Earth, whose equilibrium temperature is 255 K. 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 e — one full orbit around Kepler-62 — lasts 122.4 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). It orbits at an average distance of 0.427 AU — comparable to the inner Solar System.
How Was Kepler-62 e Discovered?
Kepler-62 e 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 e?
Kepler-62 e 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 e scores 0.83, ranking #19 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 e is one of 5 known planets in the Kepler-62 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-62 b (Super Earth)
- Kepler-62 c (Terrestrial)
- Kepler-62 d (Super Earth)
- Kepler-62 f (Super Earth)
Kepler-62 e — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.610 Earth radii (0.144 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 36.00 Earth masses (0.113 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 122.39 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.427 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 270 K (-3 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.83 |
| 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 e
Is Kepler-62 e habitable?
Kepler-62 e orbits within the habitable zone of Kepler-62, the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. Whether it is actually habitable depends on its atmosphere and composition, which remain unknown.
How far away is Kepler-62 e?
Kepler-62 e 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 e compared to Earth?
Kepler-62 e has 1.61 times the radius of Earth and about 36.0 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-62 e?
One orbit around Kepler-62 takes 122.4 Earth days.
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