Kepler-191, an intriguing exoplanetary system discovered by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope, consists of multiple planets, including Kepler-191 c, which is a Super Earth-type planet. This planet, found approximately 1939 light-years from Earth, has drawn attention due to its unique characteristics, orbit, and potential for further exploration in the search for habitable worlds beyond our solar system.
Discovery and Basic Information
The discovery of Kepler-191 c was made in 2014 as part of Kepler’s mission to identify Earth-like exoplanets orbiting other stars. This planet is classified as a Super Earth, meaning it has a mass larger than Earth but smaller than that of Uranus or Neptune. Kepler-191 c is part of a system where planets orbit a star much like our Sun, yet it stands out because of its physical properties and orbital dynamics.
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Distance from Earth: Kepler-191 c is located 1939 light-years away in the constellation Lyra. This makes it one of the many distant exoplanets discovered through the Kepler Space Telescope, whose mission was to find planets within the habitable zones of other stars.
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Stellar Magnitude: The star Kepler-191, around which this planet orbits, has a stellar magnitude of 14.987. While this is not bright enough to be visible to the naked eye from Earth, it is sufficiently bright to be observed with telescopes like the Kepler Space Telescope.
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Discovery Year: Kepler-191 c was discovered in 2014. This discovery was part of Kepler’s extended mission, which aimed to identify exoplanets that could potentially harbor life or share similar conditions to Earth.
Physical Characteristics
Kepler-191 c is a Super Earth, a term used to describe planets that are more massive than Earth but significantly smaller than the gas giants of our solar system, such as Uranus and Neptune. These planets are of great interest to astronomers because their size and mass could provide conditions conducive to liquid water, a critical factor in supporting life as we know it.
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Mass and Radius: Kepler-191 c has a mass 4.12 times that of Earth, which places it in the category of Super Earths. Its radius is 1.86 times larger than Earth’s, suggesting that it is not only more massive but also has a significantly larger physical size. These features give Kepler-191 c a unique position in the study of potentially habitable exoplanets.
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Orbital Radius and Period: Kepler-191 c orbits its host star at an orbital radius of 0.128 AU, which is much closer to its star than Earth is to the Sun. This proximity to the star means that the planet experiences higher levels of stellar radiation, which can affect its atmosphere and surface conditions. The orbital period of Kepler-191 c is 0.048459962 Earth years (or approximately 17.7 Earth days), indicating that it completes one orbit around its star in a much shorter time frame than Earth.
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Eccentricity: The orbital eccentricity of Kepler-191 c is 0.0, indicating that its orbit is perfectly circular. This is an important feature as the lack of orbital eccentricity means that the planet’s distance from its star remains constant throughout its orbit, which could stabilize its climate over long periods and reduce extreme temperature variations.
Detection Method
Kepler-191 c was detected using the transit method, a technique in which astronomers observe the dimming of a star’s light as a planet passes in front of it, or transits. This method has proven to be highly effective in detecting exoplanets, especially those that are relatively close to their stars. As Kepler-191 c transits its host star, a slight dip in the star’s brightness is recorded, providing key data on the planet’s size, orbit, and other properties.
The transit method has been crucial in uncovering the existence of numerous exoplanets, particularly those that might be candidates for further study regarding their atmospheres and potential habitability.
Planetary Composition and Potential Habitability
Given its classification as a Super Earth, Kepler-191 c likely has a rocky composition with a thicker atmosphere than Earth. While the planet’s close orbit to its star would suggest higher surface temperatures, the exact conditions remain speculative. The combination of its size, mass, and orbit means that scientists are keen to explore whether it could have the potential to support life, though the high levels of stellar radiation and the lack of an Earth-like distance from its star could make it inhospitable.
Kepler-191 c, being a Super Earth, presents both challenges and opportunities in the search for extraterrestrial life. While the planet’s proximity to its star might suggest harsh conditions, ongoing research will continue to assess whether its atmosphere might hold clues to the potential for habitability, especially considering that not all Super Earths are found in the so-called habitable zone, where liquid water could exist.
Conclusion
Kepler-191 c is a fascinating exoplanet located far from Earth, with physical characteristics that make it a prime candidate for study within the context of Super Earths and the search for habitable planets. With its relatively large size, high mass, and close orbit around its host star, it offers intriguing possibilities for future research into planetary atmospheres, orbital dynamics, and the potential for life beyond Earth. While much remains unknown about the planet’s actual conditions, the discovery of such planets continues to open new doors in the understanding of the diversity and complexity of planetary systems in our galaxy.
As technology advances and more observational data is gathered, planets like Kepler-191 c may help to refine our models of habitability and potentially identify worlds where life could exist or once have existed. For now, Kepler-191 c remains one of many exoplanets whose study could lead to groundbreaking discoveries about the universe we inhabit.