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Kepler-994 b

Super Earth Cygnus

Kepler-994 b is a super-Earth orbiting Kepler-994 in the constellation Cygnus. It lies about 614 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.

1.60×Earth radius
1.2 dOrbital period
0.28Earth similarity
614 lyDistance
2016Discovered

How Big Is Kepler-994 b?

Earth1.00 R⊕Kepler-994 b1.60 R⊕
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Kepler-994 b has a radius of 1.60 times that of Earth.

Is Kepler-994 b in the Habitable Zone?

The position of Kepler-994 b relative to the habitable zone of Kepler-994 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.

Too hot Optimistic habitable zone Conservative habitable zone Too cold

Habitable zone of Kepler-994: 0.203–0.516 AU (conservative: 0.258–0.490 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.

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Orbit and Year Length

A year on Kepler-994 b — one full orbit around Kepler-994 — lasts just 27.6 hours, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.

How Was Kepler-994 b Discovered?

Kepler-994 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-994 b?

Kepler-994 b is 613.7 light-years (188.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1413. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 10,801,120 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-994 b scores 0.28, ranking #2,240 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.

The Host Star: Kepler-994

Kepler-994

Surface temperature
3,934 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
Mass
0.56 M☉
Radius
0.54 R☉
Age
3.2 billion years (Sun: 4.6)

Planetary System

Kepler-994 b is the only planet known to orbit Kepler-994 so far.

Kepler-994 b — Complete Data

Radius1.600 Earth radii (0.143 Jupiter radii)
Orbital period1.15 days
Earth Similarity Index0.28
Distance from Earth613.7 light-years (188.2 parsecs)
ConstellationCygnus
Discovery methodTransit
Discovery facilityKepler
Discovery year2016

Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2016-05-06. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kepler-994 b

Is Kepler-994 b habitable?

Kepler-994 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of Kepler-994, and as a super-Earth it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.

How far away is Kepler-994 b?

Kepler-994 b is about 614 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 10,801,120 years to get there.

How big is Kepler-994 b compared to Earth?

Kepler-994 b has 1.60 times the radius of Earth.

How long is a year on Kepler-994 b?

One orbit around Kepler-994 takes 1.2 Earth days — short enough that 317 of its years would fit into one Earth year.

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