Kepler-93 b
Kepler-93 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-93 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 313 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-93 b?
Kepler-93 b has a radius of 1.48 times that of Earth. Its mass is 4.7 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 7.93 g/cm³ — comparable to rocky planets like Earth (5.51 g/cm³).
Is Kepler-93 b in the Habitable Zone?
Kepler-93 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of Kepler-93. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of Kepler-93: 0.669–1.581 AU (conservative: 0.847–1.499 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on Kepler-93 b
The equilibrium temperature of Kepler-93 b is about 1,133 K (860 °C) — hot enough to melt many metals. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C. It receives 275 times the stellar energy that Earth gets from the Sun.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on Kepler-93 b — one full orbit around Kepler-93 — lasts 4.73 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.053 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was Kepler-93 b Discovered?
Kepler-93 b was discovered in 2014 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-93 b?
Kepler-93 b is 312.8 light-years (95.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1714. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 5,505,280 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-93 b scores 0.28, ranking #2,082 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-93
Kepler-93
- Surface temperature
- 5,669 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.91 M☉
- Radius
- 0.92 R☉
- Age
- 5.1 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
The Kepler-93 Planetary System
Kepler-93 b is one of 2 known planets in the Kepler-93 system. Its siblings:
- Kepler-93 c (Cold Gas Giant)
Kepler-93 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.478 Earth radii (0.132 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 4.66 Earth masses (0.015 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 7.93 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 4.73 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.053 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,133 K (860 °C) |
| Stellar irradiation | 275.00× Earth |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.28 |
| Distance from Earth | 312.8 light-years (95.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Lyra |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2014 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2023-04-17. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-93 b
Is Kepler-93 b habitable?
No — Kepler-93 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is Kepler-93 b?
Kepler-93 b is about 313 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 5,505,280 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-93 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-93 b has 1.48 times the radius of Earth and about 4.7 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-93 b?
One orbit around Kepler-93 takes 4.7 Earth days — short enough that 77 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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