Kepler-96 b
Kepler-96 b is a mini-Neptune orbiting Kepler-96 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 401 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-96 b?
Kepler-96 b has a radius of 2.67 times that of Earth. Its mass is 8.5 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 2.26 g/cm³ — between that of rocky and gaseous planets.
Is Kepler-96 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of Kepler-96 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-96 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of Kepler-96: 0.746–1.762 AU (conservative: 0.945–1.671 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-96 b — one full orbit around Kepler-96 — lasts 16.2 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was Kepler-96 b Discovered?
Kepler-96 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-96 b?
Kepler-96 b is 400.8 light-years (122.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1626. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 7,054,080 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-96 b scores 0.25, ranking #3,193 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-96
Kepler-96
- Surface temperature
- 5,690 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.00 M☉
- Radius
- 1.02 R☉
- Age
- 2.3 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
Kepler-96 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-96 so far.
Kepler-96 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 2.670 Earth radii (0.238 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 8.46 Earth masses (0.027 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 2.26 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 16.24 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.25 |
| Distance from Earth | 400.8 light-years (122.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | Kepler |
| Discovery year | 2014 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-96 b
Is Kepler-96 b habitable?
Kepler-96 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-96, and as a mini-Neptune it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is Kepler-96 b?
Kepler-96 b is about 401 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 7,054,080 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-96 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-96 b has 2.67 times the radius of Earth and about 8.5 times its mass.
How long is a year on Kepler-96 b?
One orbit around Kepler-96 takes 16.2 Earth days — short enough that 22 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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