Kepler-595: A Distant Star With Two Known Worlds

Kepler-595 is a star located 2100 light-years away, and two planets have been found in its orbit. The star is 4.9 billion years old and has a mass of 0.87 solar masses and a radius of 0.83 solar radii. Its temperature is 5250 K, cooler than the Sun's. These measurements describe the host star itself.

Both planets were found 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-595 b was discovered in 2016 and is classified as Neptune-like. It has a mass of 17.4 Earth masses, a radius of 3.71 Earth radii, and an orbital period of 25.3 days. Its radius and mass are larger than Earth's, and its mean density is 1.88 g/cm³, 0.341 times Earth's. Kepler-595 c was discovered in 2020 and is classified as Earth-like. It has a mass of 3.3 Earth masses, a radius of 1.01 Earth radii, and an orbital period of 12.4 days. Its mass is larger than Earth's, and its mean density is 17.7 g/cm³, 3.21 times Earth's.

Among the listed planets, Kepler-595 c has the shortest year by reported estimates, at 12.4 days, while Kepler-595 b has the longest, at 25.3 days. Kepler-595 c also has the smallest radius by reported estimates, at 1.01 Earth radii, compared with Kepler-595 b's largest radius of 3.71 Earth radii. Kepler-595 c has the smallest reported mass among the listed planets, at 3.3 Earth masses, while Kepler-595 b has the largest reported mass, at 17.4 Earth masses.