Kepler-146 and Its Two Neptune-Like Planets

Kepler-146 is a star located 2340 light-years away. The star is 3.63 billion years old and has a mass of 1.1 solar masses, a radius of 1.16 solar radii, and a temperature of 6030 K. Its reported mass and radius estimates are larger than the Sun's, and its reported temperature is hotter than the Sun's. Two planets are known to orbit this host.

Both planets were discovered in 2014 by the transit method, in which a planet passes in front of its star from our viewpoint and causes a small dip in observed brightness. Kepler-146 b and Kepler-146 c are both Neptune-like, a size class that reaches 4 times Earth's radius.

Kepler-146 b has an orbital period of 31.2 days and a radius of 3.71 Earth radii, the largest radius among the listed planets. Its reported radius estimate is larger than Earth's. Kepler-146 c has an orbital period of 76.7 days and a radius of 3.13 Earth radii, the smallest radius among the listed planets. Its reported radius estimate is also larger than Earth's. Among the listed planets, Kepler-146 b has the shortest year by reported estimates, at 31.2 days, while Kepler-146 c has the longest, at 76.7 days.