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Kepler-796 b

Super Earth Lyra

Kepler-796 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-796 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 2,667 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.

1.30×Earth radius
6.4 dOrbital period
0.29Earth similarity
2,667 lyDistance
2016Discovered

How Big Is Kepler-796 b?

Earth1.00 R⊕Kepler-796 b1.30 R⊕
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Kepler-796 b has a radius of 1.30 times that of Earth.

Is Kepler-796 b in the Habitable Zone?

The position of Kepler-796 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-796 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Too hot Optimistic habitable zone Conservative habitable zone Too cold

Habitable zone of Kepler-796: 0.748–1.777 AU (conservative: 0.947–1.685 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.

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Orbit and Year Length

A year on Kepler-796 b — one full orbit around Kepler-796 — lasts 6.40 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.

How Was Kepler-796 b Discovered?

Kepler-796 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-796 b?

Kepler-796 b is 2,666.6 light-years (817.6 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 2,667 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 46,932,160 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-796 b scores 0.29, ranking #1,920 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: Kepler-796

Kepler-796

Surface temperature
5,475 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
Mass
0.93 M☉
Radius
1.09 R☉
Age
11.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)

Planetary System

Kepler-796 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-796 so far.

Kepler-796 b — Complete Data

Radius1.300 Earth radii (0.116 Jupiter radii)
Orbital period6.40 days
Earth Similarity Index0.29
Distance from Earth2,666.6 light-years (817.6 parsecs)
ConstellationLyra
Discovery methodTransit
Discovery facilityKepler
Discovery year2016

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2016-05-06. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-796 b

Is Kepler-796 b habitable?

Kepler-796 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-796, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is Kepler-796 b?

Kepler-796 b is about 2,667 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 46,932,160 years to get there.

How big is Kepler-796 b compared to Earth?

Kepler-796 b has 1.30 times the radius of Earth.

How long is a year on Kepler-796 b?

One orbit around Kepler-796 takes 6.4 Earth days — short enough that 57 of its years would fit into one Earth year.

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