Kepler35Ab

Kepler-35Ab is an exoplanet located in the constellation Cygnus, approximately 1,800 light-years from Earth. It was discovered in 2012 as part of the Kepler Space Telescope mission, which identified thousands of exoplanets by detecting slight dimming in the light of their host stars caused by planetary transits.

Kepler-35Ab orbits a binary star system, consisting of two Sun-like stars designated Kepler-35A and Kepler-35B. The planet itself is a gas giant, similar in size to Saturn, with an estimated radius of about 1.02 times that of Saturn. Its mass is not precisely known, but it is likely comparable to or slightly greater than Saturn’s mass. Kepler-35Ab completes an orbit around its host stars in approximately 131 days, residing within the system’s habitable zone, though its gaseous composition makes it unsuitable for life as we know it.

The discovery of Kepler-35Ab was significant because it demonstrated the existence of planets in complex multi-star systems, expanding the understanding of planetary formation and stability in such environments. The binary nature of its host stars introduces gravitational complexities that influence the planet’s orbit and long-term stability. Follow-up observations, including those from the Spitzer Space Telescope, have helped refine its orbital characteristics and confirm its existence.

Kepler-35Ab remains an object of interest for astronomers studying planetary systems beyond our solar system, particularly those with multiple stars. Its study contributes to broader research on how planets form and evolve in diverse stellar environments.