Let’s take a trip into the galaxy again, and to another system with exoplanets. Let’s pay a visit to Kepler 10 and its planets. Let’s find out more.

In the constellation of Draco, and lying just over 600 light years away we find the G type star named Kepler 10. When compared to our sun, This star is slightly less massive with a mass about 90% of that of our sun. It is also however slightly larger with a radius 5% bigger than the sun. And it’s also slightly cooler and much much older than the sun. Kepler 10 is nearly 12 billion years old compared to 4.6 billion years for our sun.

Kepler 10b is notable as it was the first terrestrial planet to be found outside our solar system, but it is highly unlikely that this planet has any form of life. The conditions are just too extreme.

Due to the proximity of this planet to the star, it would be hot here, very hot. Because this planet orbits the star so closely, it would be tidally locked. That means that one side of the planet permanently faces the parent star and the other hemisphere always faces away from the star.