 Approximate size comparison of Kepler-438b (right) with Earth | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Kepler spacecraft |
| Discovery date | 2015[4] |
| Transit | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| 0.16600 AU (24,833,000 km) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.03+0.01 −0.03[3] |
| 35.23319 d | |
| Inclination | 89.860 |
| Star | Kepler-438 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 1.12 (± 0.16) R🜨 | |
| Temperature | 276 K (3 °C; 37 °F) |
Kepler-438b (also known by its Kepler Object of Interest designation KOI-3284.01) is a confirmed near-Earth-sized exoplanet. It is likely rocky.[5] It orbits on the inner edge of the habitable zone of a red dwarf, Kepler-438, about 460.2 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra.[1][2] It receives 1.4 times our solar flux.[6] The planet was discovered by NASA's Kepler spacecraft using the transit method, in which the dimming effect that a planet causes as it crosses in front of its star is measured. NASA announced the confirmation of the exoplanet on 6 January 2015.[1]
- ^ a b c Clavin, Whitney; Chou, Felicia; Johnson, Michele (6 January 2015). "NASA's Kepler Marks 1,000th Exoplanet Discovery, Uncovers More Small Worlds in Habitable Zones". NASA. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ a b Sample, Ian (7 January 2015). "Kepler 438b: Most Earth-like planet ever discovered could be home for alien life". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Keplercitepaper-060115was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Staff (2015). "Planet Kepler-438 b". Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- ^ Northon, Karen (19 March 2015). "NASA's Kepler Uncovers More Small Worlds in Habitable Zones". NASA. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ Gilster, Paul (6 January 2015). "AAS: 8 New Planets in Habitable Zone". Centauri-dreams.org. Retrieved 9 January 2015.