Kepler-758: A Distant Star With Four Super-Earths

Kepler-758 is a star located 4900 light-years away, and four planets orbit it. The host star is estimated to be 3.8 billion years old, with a mass of 1.16 solar masses and a radius of 1.42 solar radii. Its reported temperature is 6230 K, hotter than the Sun's, and its mass and radius estimates are both larger than the Sun's.

All four planets were discovered by the transit method and announced in 2016. A transit occurs when a planet passes in front of its star from our viewpoint, causing a small dip in observed brightness; repeated dips help establish orbital periods. Each of the four worlds is classified as a Super-Earth, a size class that reaches 2.5 times Earth's radius. All four have reported radius estimates larger than Earth's.

Kepler-758 e has the smallest radius among the listed planets, at 1.53 Earth radii, and completes an orbit in 8.19 days, the second-shortest year among the group. Kepler-758 c has the second-smallest radius at 1.69 Earth radii and the shortest year, 4.76 days. Kepler-758 d has the second-largest radius at 2.12 Earth radii and the longest year, 20.5 days. Kepler-758 b has the largest radius at 2.48 Earth radii and the second-longest year, 12.1 days.