Kepler-37b

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Kepler-37b
250px
NASA Artist Impression of Kepler-37b
Discovery[1]
Discovery date February 20, 2013[1]
Transit
Orbital characteristics
0.1003 AU[2]
13.367308 d[1]
Inclination 88.63°[2]
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
 0.303 R⊕[2]
1930 km
Mass >0.01 M⊕[3]
<6 M⊕[4][5][lower-alpha 1]
Temperature 700 K[6]

Kepler-37b is an extrasolar planet (exoplanet) orbiting Kepler-37 in the constellation Lyra.[7] As of February 2013 it is the smallest planet discovered around a main-sequence star, with a radius slightly greater than that of the Moon.[8] The measurements do not constrain its mass, but masses above a few times that of the Moon give unphysically high densities.[5]

Discovery

A size comparison of the planets in the Kepler-37 system and objects in the Solar System

Kepler-37b, along with two other planets, Kepler-37c and Kepler-37d, were discovered by the Kepler space telescope, which observes stellar transits.[1][6] After observing transits of Kepler-37b, astronomers had to compare it with the size of the parent star.

The size of the star was obtained using asteroseismology;[clarification needed][9] Kepler-37 is currently the smallest star to be studied using this process.[6] This allowed the size of Kepler-37b to be determined "with extreme accuracy".[6]

To date, Kepler-37b is the smallest planet discovered around a main-sequence star[lower-alpha 2] outside the Solar System.[8] Detection of Kepler-37b was possible due to its short orbital period, relative brightness, and low activity of its host star, allowing brightness data to average out quickly.[10] The discovery of Kepler-37b has led Jack Lissauer, a scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center, to conjecture that "such little planets are common".[6]

Orbit

Kepler-37b orbits its parent star at a distance of about 15 million kilometers (9.3 million miles), with a period of roughly 13 days.[8] The outer two planets in the system have orbital periods[1][2] within one percent of the 8:5 and 3:1 resonances with Kepler-37b's period.

Physical properties

Kepler-37b is located approximately 210 light-years from Earth.[11] It is slightly larger than the Moon, with a diameter of about 3,900 kilometres (2,400 mi).[9] NASA states that it probably has no atmosphere and cannot support life.[6] Furthermore, it is most likely composed of rocky materials.[6] Because it is so close to its star (Mercury is more than three times as far from the Sun), Kepler-37b's mean temperature is estimated to be around Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value)..[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Masses more than a few times that of the Moon result in unphysically high densities.
  2. ↑ The pulsar planet PSR B1257+12 A has a comparable mass. The actual size of PSR B1257+12 A is unknown, but is likely comparable to Kepler-37b.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ http://kepler.nasa.gov/news/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=256
  4. ↑ http://exoplanet.eu/catalog/kepler-37b/
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 [1]
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Smallest Alien Planet Kepler-37b Explained (Infographic)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Centauri Dreams - Small Planets Confirm Kepler’s Capabilities
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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