K2-2016-BLG-0005Lb is the most distant exoplanet discovered by the Kepler space telescope, being twice the distance of its previous record. Its distance is estimated at 16,960 ly from the Earth, being discovered on January 4, 2022, thanks to an effect of gravitational microlensing from a series of data recorded in 2016, then revealed on March 31, 2022.[1][2]
 Couple of images showing the difference in luminosity of a star during the passage of the microlensing created by the exoplanet. | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Kepler space telescope: Second light |
| Discovery date | March 31, 2022 |
| Gravitational microlensing | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| 4.16 AU | |
| 12.9 years | |
| Star | K2-2016-BLG-0005L |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 1.23 RJ | |
| Mass | 1.1 MJ |
Star
editK2-2016-BLG-0005Lb orbits a dwarf star less massive than the Sun, named K2-2016-BLG-0005L. Its mass is estimated at 0.584 ± 0.03 solar masses.[1][2]
Characteristics
editThe exoplanet is almost an exact twin of Jupiter. It is of similar mass and orbits at almost the same orbital distance. The power of the gravitational lens allowed the team to determine that the exoplanet is about 1.1 Jovian mass, orbiting its star at a circular distance of 4.18 ± 0, 27 astronomical units, the average orbital distance of Jupiter being 5.2 astronomical units.[1][2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Specht, D.; et al. (2023). "Kepler K2Campaign 9 – II. First space-based discovery of an exoplanet using microlensing". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 520 (4): 6350–6366. arXiv:2203.16959. doi:10.1093/mnras/stad212.
- ^ a b c Starr, Michelle (4 April 2022). "The Most Distant Exoplanet Ever Found by Kepler Is... Surprisingly Familiar". ScienceAlert. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
