Aster › Space program › Kepler-37 b
Kepler-37 b
Position on the route: 112/130 · level needed 1950 · journey (Mk0 engine) 386.4 h
By the numbers
| Distance | ≈ 215 light-years |
|---|---|
| Radius | ≈ 0.3 Earths |
| Year | 13 days |
| Found | 2013 |
The story
Kepler-37 b was the smallest exoplanet known when Kepler found it in 2013: a radius of about 0.3 Earths, slightly larger than the Moon. It circles a Sun-like star in 13 days; it has no atmosphere and the surface is very hot (≈ 400 °C). Two more planets orbit the same star.
The find showed that Kepler can detect even Moon-sized bodies. Its density could not be measured, but at this size it is too small to hold a gas envelope; it is probably rocky like Mercury.
Missions
- Kepler (NASA, 2009–2018): the discovery
Colony note
Small, hot and airless; a Mk2 shield. On the Lattice border.
What probes bring back
- The smallest planet Kepler found in 2013: a radius of about 0.3 Earths, slightly larger than the Moon. A year of 13 days.
- Around a Sun-like star about 215 light-years away; no atmosphere and a scorching surface.