Kepler-65 and Its Four Worlds

Kepler-65 is a star located 991 light-years away with four planets orbiting it. The star is 2.9 billion years old and has a mass of 1.25 solar masses and a radius of 1.41 solar radii, both larger than the Sun's corresponding values. Its temperature of 6210 K is hotter than the Sun's.

Kepler-65 b, Kepler-65 c, and Kepler-65 d were discovered by the transit method in 2012, and each is larger than Earth in radius. Kepler-65 b is classified as Earth-like with a radius of 1.42 Earth radii and an orbital period of 2.15 days, the shortest year among the listed planets. Kepler-65 c is Neptune-like, with a radius of 2.58 Earth radii and an orbital period of 5.86 days, the second-shortest year among the listed planets. Kepler-65 d is a Super-Earth with a radius of 1.52 Earth radii and an orbital period of 8.13 days, the second-longest year among the listed planets.

Kepler-65 e was discovered in 2019 using the radial velocity method, which measures the wobble a planet's gravity induces in its star's motion. It has a mass of 260 Earth masses, larger than Earth's, and an orbital period of 259 days, the longest year among the listed planets.