Kepler-1544 b is a confirmed rocky planet located approximately 1,138 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus. It is a prime example of a “Super-Earth” sitting in a very stable part of its star’s habitable zone.
Key Physical Characteristics
- Planet Type: Terrestrial (rocky) Super-Earth.
- Size: It is about 1.8 times the radius of Earth, making it one of the larger rocky candidates on the list.
- Orbit: It completes one orbit around its star every 168 Earth days.
- The Star: Kepler-1544 is a K-type orange dwarf. These stars are often called “Goldilocks stars” because they are more stable and longer-lived than our Sun, but less violent than red dwarfs.
Habitability & Environment
In Lisa Kaltenegger’s research, Kepler-1544 b is a high-priority target for studying the conservative habitable zone:
- Energy Intake: It receives about 90% of the starlight that Earth gets from the Sun. This puts it in a very temperate range—almost identical to Earth’s energy balance.
- Temperature: Because it receives nearly the same energy as Earth, its surface temperature could be very similar to ours, provided it has a similar atmosphere.
- Gravity: Due to its size and mass, you would feel significantly heavier on its surface—likely roughly twice your weight on Earth.
Scientific Significance
- Orange Dwarf Advantage: Because it orbits a K-type star rather than a red dwarf, it is much less likely to be bombarded by deadly solar flares. This provides one of the most stable environments for the long-term evolution of life.
- Atmospheric Thickness: At 1.8 Earth radii, it is right at the boundary where a planet might transition from being rocky to being a gaseous “mini-Neptune.” Models suggest that if it is rocky, it would have an incredibly thick, protective atmosphere.
- Discovery: It was discovered by the Kepler Space Telescope using the transit method, which provided precise data on its size relative to its star.
