Kepler62b

Kepler-62b is the innermost planet orbiting the star Kepler-62, a K-type star located approximately 1,200 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. The planet was discovered by NASA's Kepler space telescope using the transit method and was announced in 2013 as part of the Kepler-62 planetary system. Kepler-62b stands as one of several planets in a compact, multi-planet system.

The planet has a short orbital period, completing a revolution around its star in only a few days. Its size has been inferred from the transit depth observed by Kepler, with estimated radii that place it among the smaller, likely terrestrial or near-terrestrial planets in the system. Precise mass measurements have not been obtained, leaving its exact bulk composition uncertain. Depending on its true radius, Kepler-62b could be rocky with a relatively thin atmosphere or it might possess a thicker envelope of volatiles; however, such determinations remain speculative without mass data.

In the broader context of the Kepler-62 system, Kepler-62b is followed by other planets with longer orbital periods, including Kepler-62e and Kepler-62f, which reside in or near the star’s habitable zone. Kepler-62b itself is not considered to be in the habitable zone, given its proximity to the star and short orbital period. The system as a whole illustrates the diversity of planetary types found by the Kepler mission around a star smaller and cooler than the Sun.

Current knowledge about Kepler-62b remains limited to transit-derived size estimates and orbital parameters. No atmospheric characterization or direct mass measurement has been achieved to date, and further observations would be required to refine its properties.