K2-10 b
K2-10 b
confirmed planet • updated: 2016-02-10
K2-10 b circles the star K2-10, discovered in 2015 using the transit method — when a planet crosses in front of its star and dims the light slightly. The K2 space telescope spotted it.
This page summarizes a catalog entry. If a measurement is missing, it is not shown or guessed. Some values can differ slightly between studies; when that happens, we describe the range rather than picking a favorite without evidence.
Scientific context
Scientific context: This profile layers interpretation on top of archival measurements. Modeled bands appear where direct detections (like spectra or transits) are not listed.
What we can’t claim: surface conditions, biology, or breathable atmosphere without direct spectra.
K2-10 b is a large planet, about 3.8 times Earth’s width and 27 times its mass. It orbits its star every 19.3 days in a slightly oval path. The star is similar to our Sun — a bit cooler and slightly less massive. Because the planet’s orbit is tilted, we don’t know its exact mass, only a likely range.
Glossary (plain English)
- AU: the average Earth–Sun distance.
- Semi-major axis: the planet’s average distance from its star.
- Eccentricity: how oval the orbit is (0 = circle).
- Radial velocity: finding a planet by measuring a star’s tiny “wobble.”
- m·sin i: a minimum mass estimate; the true mass can be higher if the orbit is tilted.
- Equilibrium temperature: a rough estimate from starlight alone, not a surface reading.
K2-10 b was first reported in 2015 using the Transit method. The discovery is linked to observations from K2.
In transit work, astronomers watch for tiny, repeating dips in a star’s light as the planet passes in front of it. Follow-up observations help rule out false positives and refine the orbit.
The catalog lists an orbital period of about 19.30 days.
The orbit’s eccentricity is 0.31, which describes how stretched the orbit is.
The archive reports a mass scale of 0.1 MJ.
A catalog radius is also listed, which (together with mass) helps constrain density and interior structure.
Why “m·sin i” shows up on RV planets
K2-10 b orbits K2-10.
A temperature near 5620 K places it on the sun-like side of the main sequence. The system is about 888.3 light‑years away.
Several key parameters are not present in this single catalog row. Missing fields don’t mean the science is unknown—only that this particular snapshot doesn’t carry the values.
In this case the most noticeable gaps are: catalog equilibrium temperature, semi‑major axis. As new observations arrive, archives often refresh these entries (and sometimes revise earlier numbers).
Scientists keep revisiting systems like this because each new instrument pass can tighten uncertainties: better timing improves the orbit, better spectra improves the star, and better follow‑up can confirm or refute competing solutions. Even when a planet is well‑established, refined stellar properties can shift the inferred planet size, temperature, and habitability context. Transit systems are especially valuable because they can be re‑observed for decades to detect subtle changes in timing or additional planets.