Keplera

Keplera is a fictional exoplanet commonly used in educational materials and science-fiction narratives to illustrate methods of exoplanet discovery and planetary characterization. It does not correspond to any confirmed planet in real astronomical surveys and is not part of an actual star system.

In many depictions, Keplera orbits a sun-like star at a distance comparable to that of Mercury or Venus, resulting in a short orbital period and a warm to hot surface. The planet is often described as a super-Earth or mini-Neptune, with a radius between about 1.2 and 2.5 times that of Earth and a mass of roughly 2 to 8 Earth masses. Its atmosphere, when described, is typically shown as moderately thick, potentially containing hydrogen-rich envelopes or silicate-rich clouds, depending on the scenario. The exact composition and surface conditions vary by author.

The name Keplera evokes the Kepler mission and transit astronomy, and the object is frequently used to demonstrate the transit method, radial velocity measurements, and atmospheric spectroscopy in a classroom or fictional setting. It serves as a convenient stand-in for discussing habitability, orbital dynamics, and observational limits without referring to a real world target.

See also: Exoplanet, Kepler space telescope, Transit method.