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Kepler-881 b

Super Earth Cygnus

Kepler-881 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-881 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 4,485 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.

1.78×Earth radius
4.4 dOrbital period
0.27Earth similarity
4,485 lyDistance
2016Discovered

How Big Is Kepler-881 b?

Earth1.00 R⊕Kepler-881 b1.78 R⊕
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Kepler-881 b has a radius of 1.78 times that of Earth.

Is Kepler-881 b in the Habitable Zone?

The position of Kepler-881 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-881 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Too hot Optimistic habitable zone Conservative habitable zone Too cold

Habitable zone of Kepler-881: 0.861–2.019 AU (conservative: 1.091–1.914 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-881 b — one full orbit around Kepler-881 — lasts 4.44 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.

How Was Kepler-881 b Discovered?

Kepler-881 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-881 b?

Kepler-881 b is 4,485.2 light-years (1,375.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 4,485 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 78,939,520 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-881 b scores 0.27, ranking #2,646 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: Kepler-881

Kepler-881

Surface temperature
5,961 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
Mass
1.06 M☉
Radius
1.09 R☉
Age
3.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)

Planetary System

Kepler-881 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-881 so far.

Kepler-881 b — Complete Data

Radius1.780 Earth radii (0.159 Jupiter radii)
Orbital period4.44 days
Earth Similarity Index0.27
Distance from Earth4,485.2 light-years (1,375.2 parsecs)
ConstellationCygnus
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-881 b

Is Kepler-881 b habitable?

Kepler-881 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-881, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is Kepler-881 b?

Kepler-881 b is about 4,485 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 78,939,520 years to get there.

How big is Kepler-881 b compared to Earth?

Kepler-881 b has 1.78 times the radius of Earth.

How long is a year on Kepler-881 b?

One orbit around Kepler-881 takes 4.4 Earth days — short enough that 82 of its years would fit into one Earth year.

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