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Kepler-65 e

Cold Gas Giant Lyra

Kepler-65 e is a cold gas giant orbiting Kepler-65 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 991 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2019 using the radial velocity method.

260×Earth mass
259 dOrbital period
0.25Earth similarity
991 lyDistance
2019Discovered

Is Kepler-65 e in the Habitable Zone?

The position of Kepler-65 e relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-65 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Orbit and Year Length

A year on Kepler-65 e — one full orbit around Kepler-65 — lasts 258.8 Earth days, between the years of Mercury (88 days) and Earth (365 days). Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.28).

How Was Kepler-65 e Discovered?

Kepler-65 e was discovered in 2019 using the radial velocity method, with observations from W. M. Keck Observatory.

The radial velocity method measures the subtle wobble of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet, visible as periodic shifts in the star's light spectrum. The size of the wobble reveals the planet's minimum mass.

How Far Away Is Kepler-65 e?

Kepler-65 e is 990.6 light-years (303.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1036. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 17,434,560 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-65 e scores 0.25, ranking #3,018 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: Kepler-65

Kepler-65

Mass
1.25 M☉
Radius
1.44 R☉

The Kepler-65 Planetary System

Kepler-65 e is one of 4 known planets in the Kepler-65 system. Its siblings:

Kepler-65 e — Complete Data

Mass260.00 Earth masses (0.820 Jupiter masses)
Orbital period258.80 days
Eccentricity0.283
Earth Similarity Index0.25
Distance from Earth990.6 light-years (303.7 parsecs)
ConstellationLyra
Discovery methodRadial Velocity
Discovery facilityW. M. Keck Observatory
Discovery year2019

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-06-07. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-65 e

Is Kepler-65 e habitable?

Kepler-65 e is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-65, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is Kepler-65 e?

Kepler-65 e is about 991 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 17,434,560 years to get there.

How long is a year on Kepler-65 e?

One orbit around Kepler-65 takes 258.8 Earth days.

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