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Kepler-94 c

Cold Gas Giant Lyra

Kepler-94 c is a cold gas giant orbiting Kepler-94 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 626 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the radial velocity method.

3,126×Earth mass
820 dOrbital period
0.17Earth similarity
626 lyDistance
2014Discovered

Is Kepler-94 c in the Habitable Zone?

The position of Kepler-94 c relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-94 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Too hot Optimistic habitable zone Conservative habitable zone Too cold

Habitable zone of Kepler-94: 0.412–1.004 AU (conservative: 0.521–0.952 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-94 c — one full orbit around Kepler-94 — lasts 820.3 Earth days, longer than an Earth year.

How Was Kepler-94 c Discovered?

Kepler-94 c was discovered in 2014 using the radial velocity method, with observations from W. M. Keck Observatory.

The radial velocity method measures the subtle wobble of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet, visible as periodic shifts in the star's light spectrum. The size of the wobble reveals the planet's minimum mass.

How Far Away Is Kepler-94 c?

Kepler-94 c is 625.9 light-years (191.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1401. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 11,015,840 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-94 c scores 0.17, ranking #4,095 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: Kepler-94

Kepler-94

Surface temperature
4,781 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
Mass
0.81 M☉
Radius
0.76 R☉
Age
1.4 billion years (Sun: 4.6)

The Kepler-94 Planetary System

Kepler-94 c is one of 2 known planets in the Kepler-94 system. Its siblings:

Kepler-94 c — Complete Data

Mass3,126.00 Earth masses (9.836 Jupiter masses)
Orbital period820.30 days
Earth Similarity Index0.17
Distance from Earth625.9 light-years (191.9 parsecs)
ConstellationLyra
Discovery methodRadial Velocity
Discovery facilityW. M. Keck Observatory
Discovery year2014

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-94 c

Is Kepler-94 c habitable?

Kepler-94 c is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-94, and as a cold gas giant it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is Kepler-94 c?

Kepler-94 c is about 626 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 11,015,840 years to get there.

How long is a year on Kepler-94 c?

One orbit around Kepler-94 takes 820.3 Earth days.

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