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Kepler-11c

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description Kepler-11c Overview

Kepler-11c is an exoplanet orbiting the Sun-like star Kepler-11, located approximately 2,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. The Kepler-11 system, announced by NASA in 2011, is notable for having six confirmed transiting planets in a remarkably compact orbital configuration, with all planets orbiting closer to their star than Venus does to the Sun. Kepler-11c has a radius larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, with a low bulk density suggesting it possesses a substantial volatile or gaseous envelope.

help Kepler-11c FAQ

How long is a year on Kepler-11c?

Kepler-11c completes one orbit around its star in about 13 days and sits about 0.107 astronomical units from Kepler-11. NASA classifies it as a Neptune-like exoplanet with a mass of about 2.9 Earths ([NASA](https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanet-catalog/kepler-11-c/)).

How was Kepler-11c discovered?

NASA's Kepler space telescope found it by observing a transit, the small dip in starlight that occurs when a planet crosses its star. The Kepler-11 system was announced in 2011 with six confirmed transiting planets in a compact system ([NASA](https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanet-catalog/kepler-11-c/)).

Is Kepler-11c in the Milky Way, and how far away is it?

Yes, Kepler-11 is a Sun-like G-type star in the Milky Way, roughly 2,000 light-years from Earth in Cygnus. Kepler-11c is one of the six known planets in that unusually tightly packed system ([NASA](https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanet-catalog/kepler-11-c/)).

Why is the Kepler-11 system important to exoplanet research?

The six planets transit the same star, allowing astronomers to compare their sizes and orbital periods from one system. Kepler-11c's 13-day orbit and the system's compact spacing made the 2011 discovery useful for studying low-density planets ([NASA](https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanet-catalog/kepler-11-c/)).

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