K2-72d

K2-72d
Discovery
Discovery dateJuly 18, 2016
Transit
Orbital characteristics
0.0461 ± 0.0058 AU (6,900,000 ± 870,000 km)[1]
7.7599±0.0014[1] d
StarK2-72[1]
Physical characteristics
0.73±0.20 [1] R🜨

K2-72d is a small exoplanet orbiting around the red dwarf star K2-72 approximately 227.7 light-years away. K2-72d completes an orbit in 7.8 days, and it has a radius of only 73% of that of the Earth.

Host star

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The planet orbits a (M-type) red dwarf star named K2-72, orbited by a total of four planets, of which K2-72e has the longest orbital period. The star has a mass of 0.27 M and a radius of 0.33 R. It has a temperature of 3360 K and its age is unknown. In comparison, the Sun is 4.6 billion years old[2] and has a surface temperature of 5778 K.[3]

The star's apparent magnitude, or how bright it appears from Earth's perspective, is 15.309. Therefore, it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye and can only be observed with a telescope.

Discovery

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The planet, along with the other three planets in the K2-72 system, were announced in mid-July 2016 as part of the new results from the second mission of the Kepler spacecraft.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "K2-72d CONFIRMED PLANET OVERVIEW PAGE". NASA Exoplanet Archive. Retrieved 2016-07-18.
  2. ^ Cain, Fraser (16 September 2008). "How Old is the Sun?". Universe Today. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  3. ^ Cain, Fraser (15 September 2008). "Temperature of the Sun". Universe Today. Retrieved 19 February 2011.