A system of seven sweltering planets has been revealed by continued study of data from NASA’s retired Kepler space telescope: Each one is bathed in more radiant heat from its host star per area than any planet in our solar system. Also unlike any of our immediate neighbors, all seven planets in this system, named Kepler-385, are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. It is one of only a few planetary systems known to contain more than six verified planets or planet candidates. The Kepler-385 system is among the highlights of a new Kepler catalog that contains almost 4,400 planet candidates, including more than 700 multi-planet systems.
“We’ve compiled the most precise list of Kepler planet candidates and their attributes to date,” said Jack Lissauer, a research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and the lead author of the paper unveiling the new catalog. “NASA’s Kepler mission has been responsible for uncovering the majority of known exoplanets, and this updated catalog will provide astronomers with valuable insights into their characteristics.” A system of seven
The Kepler-385 system is anchored by a star similar to our Sun, but it’s approximately 10% larger and 5% hotter. The two inner planets, which are slightly larger than Earth, are likely composed of rock and might possess thin atmospheres. In contrast, the remaining five planets in the system are considerably larger, each boasting a radius approximately twice that of Earth, and they are anticipated to be enveloped in dense, substantial atmospheres.