Kepler-62f

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Kepler-62f
Exoplanet List of exoplanets
The diagram compares the planets of the inner solar system to Kepler-62.jpg
Artist's impressions of the Kepler-62 system (sizes to scale) compared to the planets of the inner Solar System with their respective habitable zones.
Parent star
Star Kepler-62 (KOI-701)
Constellation Lyra
Right ascension (α) 18h 52m 51.06019s
Declination (δ) +45° 20′ 59.507″
Apparent magnitude (mV) 13.654[1]
Distance ~1200 ly
(~368[2] pc)
Mass (m) 0.69 (± 0.02)[2] M☉
Radius (r) 0.64 (± 0.02)[2] R☉
Temperature (T) 4925 (± 70)[2] K
Metallicity [Fe/H] -0.37 (± 0.04)[2]
Age 7 (± 4)[2] Gyr
Physical characteristics
Mass (m) ≤35; 2.57[3][note 1] M⊕
Radius (r) 1.41 (± 0.07)[2] R⊕
Stellar flux (F⊙) 0.41 ± 0.05 ⊕
Temperature (T) 243 K (−30 °C; −22 °F)
Orbital elements
Semi-major axis (a) 0.718[2] AU
Eccentricity (e) ~0[2]
Orbital period (P) 267.291[2] d
Inclination (i) 89.90[2]°
Discovery information
Discovery date 18 April 2013[2]
Discoverer(s) Eric Agol[4]
Discovery method Transit (Kepler Mission)[2]
Other detection methods n/a
Discovery site Kepler Space Observatory
Discovery status Published refereed article
Other designations
KOI-701.04; K00701.04; KOI-701 f; 2MASS J18525105+4520595 f; KIC 9002278 f; WISE J185251.03+452059.0 f
Database references
Extrasolar Planets
Encyclopaedia		 data
SIMBAD data
Exoplanet Archive data
Open Exoplanet Catalogue data

Kepler-62f[2][4][5] (also known by its Kepler Object of Interest designation KOI-701.04) is a super-Earth exoplanet (extrasolar planet) orbiting within the habitable zone of Kepler-62, the outermost of five such planets discovered by NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler-62f is located about 1200 light-years (370 parsecs, or roughly 11,350,000,000,000,000 km) from Earth in the constellation of Lyra.[6] The exoplanet was found by using the transit method, in which the dimming effect that a planet causes as it crosses in front of its star is measured. Kepler-62f may be a terrestrial or water-dominated solid planet; it lies within the outer part of its host star's habitable zone.[2][7]

Characteristics

Kepler-62f is a super-Earth with a radius of 1.4 R⊕.[2] This places it below the estimated radius of ≤1.6 R⊕ where it would otherwise be a mini-Neptune with a volatile composition, with no solid surface.[8]

Host star

The planet orbits a (K-type) star named Kepler-62. The star is orbited by a total of five transiting planets, of which Kepler-62f has the longest orbital period.[2] The star would appear a slight peach color to the naked eye, and, as viewed from planet Kepler-62f, would have an angular size about 90% as large as the Sun seen from Earth.[2] The star has a mass of 0.69 M☉ and a radius of 0.64 R☉, both statistics lower than that of the Sun. It has a surface temperature of 4925 ± 70 K and is 7 ± 4 billion years old.[2] In comparison, the Sun is about 4.6 billion years old[9] and has a surface temperature of 5778 K.[10]

The star's apparent magnitude, or how bright it appears from Earth's perspective, is 13.75. Therefore, it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye.

Orbital resonance

A 2016 study came to a conclusion that the orbits of both Kepler-62e and Kepler-62f are likely in a 2:1 orbital resonance with each other.[6] This means that for every orbit that planet "f" completes, "e" completes roughly 2 orbits around its parent star.

Habitability

Artist's conception of a rocky Earth-size planet orbiting within the habitable zone of its parent star.

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See also: Habitability of K-type main-sequence star systems

Given the planet's age (7 ± 4 billion years), irradiance (0.41 ± 0.05 times Earth's) and radius (1.41 ± 0.07 times Earth's), a rocky (silicate-iron) composition with the addition of a possibly substantial amount of water is considered plausible.[2] A modeling study indicates it is likely that a great majority of planets in its size range are completely covered by ocean.[11][12] If its density is the same as Earth's, its mass would be 1.413 or 2.80 times Earth's. The planet has the potential for hosting a moon according to a study of tidal effects on potentially habitable planets.[13] The planet may be the only habitable-zone candidate which would avoid desiccation by irradiation from the host star at its current location.[14] Although Kepler-62f is likely an ocean-covered planet possessing rock and water at the surface, it is the farthest out, it is not expected to have a significant atmosphere, so without a supplementary amount of carbon dioxide (CO
2), it may be a planet covered by ice.[15]

A 2015 paper concluded that Kepler-62f, along with the exoplanets Kepler-186f and Kepler-442b, were likely the best candidates for being potentially habitable planets.[16] K-type stars like Kepler-62 can live for approximately 20–30 billion years, 2 to 3 times longer then the estimated lifetime of our Sun.[17] The low stellar activity of orange dwarfs like Kepler-62, creates a relatively benign radiation environment for planets orbiting their habitable zones, increasing their potential habitability.[17]

Habitability simulations

On may 13th, 2016 researchers at UCLA stated that in order for Kepler-62f to sustain an Earth-like climate (with an average temperature of around 284–290 K (11–17 °C; 52–62 °F), at least 5 bars (4.9 atm) of carbon dioxide would have to be present in the planet's atmosphere.[18] Also they found many scenarios that allow the planet to be habitable. They tested several computer simulations based on Kepler-62f having an atmosphere that ranges in thickness from the same as Earth’s all the way up to 12 times thicker than our planet’s, various concentrations of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere, ranging from the same amount as is in the Earth’s atmosphere up to 2,500 times that level and several different possible configurations for its orbital path.[19]

Cultural impact

On 9 May 2013, a congressional hearing by two U.S. House of Representatives subcommittees discussed "Exoplanet Discoveries: Have We Found Other Earths?," prompted by the discovery of exoplanet Kepler-62f, along with Kepler-62e and Kepler-69c. A related special issue of the journal Science, published earlier, described the discovery of the exoplanets.[20] Kepler-62f and the other Kepler-62 exoplanets are being specially targeted as part of the SETI search programs.[21]

Notable Exoplanets – Kepler Space Telescope
KeplerExoplanets-NearEarthSize-HabitableZone-20150106.png Confirmed small exoplanets in habitable zones. Exoplanets are artists' impressions.
(Kepler-62e, Kepler-62f, Kepler-186f, Kepler-296e, Kepler-296f, Kepler-438b, Kepler-440b, Kepler-442b)
(Kepler Space Telescope; 6 January 2015).[22]
Relative sizes of all of the habitable-zone planets discovered to date alongside Earth.jpg Comparison of the sizes of planets Kepler-69c, Kepler-62e, Kepler-62f, and the Earth.
Exoplanets are artists' impressions.		 LombergA1024.jpg The Kepler Space Telescope search volume, in the context of the Milky Way Galaxy.


See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ PHL's Exoplanets Catalog - Planetary Habitability Laboratory @ UPR Arecibo
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kepler-62f: A Possible Water World
  7. ↑ 3 Potentially Habitable 'Super-Earths' Explained (Infographic)
  8. ↑ https://astrobites.org/2014/07/31/most-1-6-earth-radius-planets-are-not-rocky/
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ast.2015.1353 The Effect of Orbital Configuration on the Possible Climates and Habitability of Kepler-62f
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Notes

  1. ↑ Assuming the planet has the same or similar density to Earth.

External links

Coordinates: Sky map 18h 52m 51.06019s, +45° 20′ 59.507″

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