Kepler-896 c
Kepler-896 c is a sub-Neptune orbiting Kepler-896 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 7,616 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2023 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-896 c?
Kepler-896 c has a radius of 3.15 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-896 c in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-896 c orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-896. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-896: 0.557–1.322 AU (conservative: 0.705–1.253 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on Kepler-896 c
The equilibrium temperature of Kepler-896 c is about 515 K (242 °C) — hotter than anywhere on Earth. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C. It receives 16.56 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on Kepler-896 c — one full orbit around Kepler-896 — lasts 29.5 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.179 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-896 c Discovered?
Kepler-896 c was discovered in 2023 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-896 c?
Kepler-896 c is 7,615.5 light-years (2,334.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 7,616 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 134,032,800 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-896 c scores 0.22, ranking #3,695 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-896
Kepler-896
- Surface temperature
- 5,510 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.88 M☉
- Radius
- 0.80 R☉
The Kepler-896 Planetary System
Kepler-896 c is one of 2 known planets in the Kepler-896 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-896 b (Mini Neptune)
Kepler-896 c — Complete Data
| Radius | 3.150 Earth radii (0.281 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 29.54 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.179 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 515 K (242 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 16.56× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.22 |
| Distance from Earth | 7,615.5 light-years (2,334.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Lyra |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2023 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2017-05-08. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-896 c
Is Kepler-896 c habitable?
No — Kepler-896 c orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-896 c?
Kepler-896 c is about 7,616 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 134,032,800 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-896 c compared to Earth?
Kepler-896 c has 3.15 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-896 c?
One orbit around Kepler-896 takes 29.5 Earth days — short enough that 12 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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