Kepler-973 b
Kepler-973 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-973 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 1,072 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.
How Big Is Kepler-973 b?
Kepler-973 b has a radius of 1.96 times that of Earth.
Is Kepler-973 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of Kepler-973 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-973 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of Kepler-973: 0.492–1.180 AU (conservative: 0.623–1.119 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-973 b — one full orbit around Kepler-973 — lasts 49.6 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was Kepler-973 b Discovered?
Kepler-973 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-973 b?
Kepler-973 b is 1,071.5 light-years (328.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,072 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 18,858,400 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-973 b scores 0.42, ranking #419 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: Kepler-973
Kepler-973
- Surface temperature
- 5,213 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.86 M☉
- Radius
- 0.78 R☉
- Age
- 2.3 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
Kepler-973 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-973 so far.
Kepler-973 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 1.960 Earth radii (0.175 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 49.61 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.42 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,071.5 light-years (328.5 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-973 b
Is Kepler-973 b habitable?
Kepler-973 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-973, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is Kepler-973 b?
Kepler-973 b is about 1,072 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 18,858,400 years to get there.
How big is Kepler-973 b compared to Earth?
Kepler-973 b has 1.96 times the radius of Earth.
How long is a year on Kepler-973 b?
One orbit around Kepler-973 takes 49.6 Earth days.
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