Kepler-346 and Its Two Neptune-Like Worlds

Kepler-346 is a star located 3210 light-years away. The star is 3.98 billion years old, has a mass of 0.95 solar masses and a radius of 0.92 solar radii, and its temperature is 5640 K. Its reported mass estimate is smaller than the Sun's, and its reported temperature is cooler than the Sun's. Two planets are known to orbit this host.

Kepler-346 b and Kepler-346 c are both Neptune-like planets, a size class that reaches four times Earth's radius. Both 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; repeated dips help establish orbital periods.

Kepler-346 b has an orbital period of 6.51 days and a radius of 2.66 Earth radii. Its reported radius estimate is larger than Earth's, and among the listed planets it has both the shortest year and the smallest radius by reported estimates. Kepler-346 c has an orbital period of 23.9 days and a radius of 3.07 Earth radii, also larger than Earth's. Among the listed planets it has the longest year and the largest radius by reported estimates.