Kepler-917 b
Kepler-917 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-917 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 11,287 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-917 b?
Kepler-917 b has a radius of 1.91 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-917 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of Kepler-917 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-917 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of Kepler-917: 0.512–1.220 AU (conservative: 0.649–1.156 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 ›
Orbit and Year Length
A year on Kepler-917 b — one full orbit around Kepler-917 — lasts 2.97 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was Kepler-917 b Discovered?
Kepler-917 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-917 b?
Kepler-917 b is 11,286.7 light-years (3,460.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 11,287 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 198,645,920 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-917 b scores 0.26, ranking #2,875 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-917
Kepler-917
- Surface temperature
- 5,418 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.80 M☉
- Radius
- 0.76 R☉
- Age
- 4.2 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
Kepler-917 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-917 so far.
Kepler-917 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.910 Earth radii (0.170 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 2.97 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.26 |
| Distance from Earth | 11,286.7 light-years (3,460.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2016 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2016-05-06. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-917 b
Is Kepler-917 b habitable?
Kepler-917 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-917, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is Kepler-917 b?
Kepler-917 b is about 11,287 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 198,645,920 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-917 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-917 b has 1.91 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-917 b?
One orbit around Kepler-917 takes 3.0 Earth days — short enough that 123 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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