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Kepler-452b

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Kepler-452b is a planet orbiting the G-class star Kepler-452, identified by the Kepler space telescope. Its discovery was publicly announced by NASA on 23 July 2015, and it is the first near-Earth-size planet discovered orbiting within the habitable zone of a star very similar to the Sun.[1] It is the second-most Earth-like planet known to date, after Kepler-438b.

The star is 1,400 light-years away from the Solar System; at the speed of New Horizons, the fastest spacecraft yet launched by humanity, it would take about 25.8 million years to get there.[2]

Properties

The planet takes 385 days to orbit its star.[3] It is older and bigger than Earth, but lies within the conservative habitable zone of its parent star.[4][5]

It has a probable mass five times that of Earth, and its surface gravity is twice Earth's, though calculations of mass for exoplanets are only rough estimates.[4] It is most likely a large "super-earth" with many active volcanoes due to its higher mass and density. The clouds on the planet would be thick and misty, covering much more of the surface as viewed from space than Earth. Kepler-452 would look almost identical to our own Sun as viewed from the surface.[6]

It is not clear if Kepler-452b can actually support life. It orbits a G2V-type star, like our own Sun, with nearly the same temperature and mass. However, this star is 6 billion years old, making it 1.5 billion years older than our sun. At this point in its star's evolution, Kepler-452b is receiving ten percent more energy from its parent star than Earth is currently receiving from the Sun. If Kepler-452b were the same mass as Earth, it would be subject to, or on the verge of, a runaway greenhouse effect.[7]

Comparison of Kepler-452b to other Solar terrestrial planets
Name ESI SPH HZD HZC HZA pClass hClass Distance (ly) Status Year of
discovery
Earth Template:HabPlanetScore warm terran mesoplanet — — —
Kepler-452b Template:HabPlanetScore warm superterran mesoplanet 1,400 confirmed 2015
Mars Template:HabPlanetScore warm subterran hypopsychroplanet 0 non-exoplanet prehistoric
Mercury Template:HabPlanetScore hot mercurian non-habitable 0 non-exoplanet prehistoric
Venus Template:HabPlanetScore warm terran hyperthermoplanet 0 non-exoplanet prehistoric
A diagram of the orbit of Kepler-452b within the Kepler-452 system, as compared to the inner Solar System and Kepler-186 system, and their respective projected habitable zones. (NASA)

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kepler-452b.

References

  1. ^ Chou, Felicia; Johnson, Michelle (23 July 2015). "NASA's Kepler Mission Discovers Bigger, Older Cousin to Earth" (Press release). NASA. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  2. ^ "NASA telescope discovers Earth-like planet in star's 'habitable zone". BNO News. 23 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  3. ^ Overbye, Dennis (23 July 2015). "Kepler Data Reveals What Might Be Best 'Goldilocks' Planet Yet". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  4. ^ a b Feltman, Rachel (23 July 2015). "Scientists discover 12 new potential Earth-like planets". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  5. ^ Witze, Alexandra (23 July 2015). "NASA spies Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting Sun-like star". Nature. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  6. ^ NASA Kepler press conference. 23 July 2015.
  7. ^ Lugmayr, Luigi (23 July 2015). "Kepler-452b details unveiled". I4U News. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
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