Coordinates: 11h 30m 14.518s, +07° 35′ 18.

257″

K2-18b
K2-18b, also known as EPIC 201912552 b, is an exoplanet orbiting the red dwarf K2-18, located 124 light-years (38  pc)
K2-18b
away from Earth.[3] The planet, initially discovered through the Kepler space telescope, is about eight times the mass of
Earth, and thus is classified as a super Earth. It has a 33-day orbit within the star's habitable zone, but is unlikely to be
habitable.

In 2019, two independent research studies, combining data from the Kepler space telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope,
and the Hubble Space Telescope, concluded that there are significant amounts of water vapor in its atmosphere, a first for a
planet in the habitable zone.[4][5][6]
Artist's impression of K2-18b (right)
orbiting red dwarf K2-18 (left). The
Contents unconfirmed exoplanet candidate K2-18c
is shown between them.
Discovery
Discovery[1]
Location
Discovery site Kepler space telescope
Physical characteristics
Discovery of water Discovery date 2015
See also Detection Transit
References method

External links Orbital characteristics[2]

Semi-major +0.0060
0.1429 −0.0065 au
axis
Discovery 21,380,000 km

Eccentricity 0.20 ± 0.08

K2-18b was identified as part of the Kepler space telescope program, one of over 1,200 exoplanets discovered during the
+0.000 095
"Second Light" K2 mission.[7] The discovery of K2-18b was made in 2015, orbiting a red dwarf star (now known as K2-18) Orbital period 32.939 623 −0.000 100 d
with a stellar spectral type of M2.8 about 124 light-years (38 pc) from Earth. The planet was detected through variations in +0.0079°
Inclination 89.5785° −0.0088°
the star's light curve caused by the transit of the planet in front of the star as seen from Earth.[3][8] The planet was
designated "K2-18b" as it was the eighteenth planet discovered during the K2 mission. The predicted relatively low contrast Argument of +0.81
−0.10 −0.59 rad
periastron
between the planet and its host star would make it easier to observe K2-18b's atmosphere in the future.[8]
In 2017, data from the Spitzer Space Telescope confirmed that K2-18b orbits in the habitable zone around K2-18 with a 33- Semi-amplitude 3.55 +0.57 m/s
−0.58
day period, short enough to allow for observations of multiple K2-18b orbital cycles and improving the statistical significance
Star K2-18
of the signal. This led to widespread interest in continued observations of K2-18b.[9]
Physical characteristics
Later studies on K2-18b using the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) and the Calar Alto high-
Mean radius 2.71 ± 0.07 R⊕[3]
Resolution search for M dwarfs with Exoearths with Near-infrared and optical Echelle Spectrographs (CARMENES)
instruments also identified a likely second exoplanet, K2-18c, with an estimated mass of 5.62 ± 0.84 M⊕ in a tighter, 9-day
Mass 8.63 ± 1.35 M⊕[3]

orbit,[3] but this additional planet has not yet been confirmed, and may instead be due to stellar activity.[2] Mean density 2.38 g/cm3
Surface gravity ≤1.18 g
Location Temperature 265 ± 5 K (−8 ± 5 °C)[3]

K2-18's coordinates in the International Celestial Reference System are right ascension  11h  30m  14.518s, declination
+07° 35′ 18.257″. This lies within the constellation of Leo, but outside its lion asterism.[10] When first discovered, K2-18's distance
from Earth was estimated to be 110 light-years (34  pc).[8] However, more precise data from the Gaia star mapping project has
shown K2-18 to be at a distance of 124.02 ± 0.26 light-years (38.025 ± 0.079 pc). This improved distance measurement helped to
refine the properties of the exoplanetary system.[3]

Physical characteristics
K2-18b orbits K2-18 at about 0.1429 au (21.38 million km), which lies within the calculated habitable zone for the red dwarf, 0.12–
0.25 au (18–37 million km).[6] The exoplanet has an orbital period of about 33 days,[9] which suggests it is tidally locked, with the
same face to its host star.[11] The planet's equilibrium temperature is estimated to be around 265 ± 5 K (−8 ± 5 °C; 17 ± 9 °F),[3]
due to its stellar irradiance of approximately 94% of Earth's.[9] K2-18b is estimated to have a radius of 2.71 ± 0.07 R⊕ and a mass
of 8.63 ± 1.35 M⊕, based on analysis using HARPS and CARMENES instruments.[3] It was initially considered a mini-Neptune on
The location of the star K2-18 in the
its 2015 discovery,[8] but improved data on K2-18b has classified it as a super-Earth.[9] A comparison of K2-18b's size, orbit, and sky, marked by a white circle.
other features to other detected exoplanets suggests that the planet could support an atmosphere that contains additional gasses
besides hydrogen and helium.[1]
 Artist's impression of the K2-18 star system Diagram of the K2-18 planetary
system, showing the orbits of K2-
18b and the unconfirmed candidate
K2-18c, and the star's habitable
zone

Discovery of water
Further studies using the Hubble Space Telescope were performed, corroborating the results of the Kepler and Spitzer External video
observations and allowing additional measurements of the planet's atmosphere. Two separate analyses by researchers at Hubblecast Light on the
Université de Montréal and University College London (UCL) of the Hubble data were published in 2019. Both examined spectra discovery of water vapor on K2-18b
of starlight passing through the planet's atmosphere during transits, finding that K2-18b has a hydrogen–helium atmosphere with (video/1:19; 11 September 2019) (ht
a high concentration of water vapor, which could range from between 0.01% to 12.5%, up to between 20% and 50%, depending on tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ
what other gaseous species are present in the atmosphere. At the upper concentration levels, the water vapor would be sufficiently U-Rj53BQk)
high to form clouds.[5][6][12] The UCL-led study was published on 11 September 2019 in the journal Nature Astronomy; the
NASA Goddard Space Center on
study led from the Université de Montréal, which has not yet been peer reviewed, was posted one day earlier on the preprint server
the discovery of water vapor on K2-
arXiv.org.[11] The UCL-led analysis detected water with a statistical significance of 3.6 standard deviations, equivalent to a
18b
confidence level of 99.97%.[6]
(video/2:03; 11 September 2019) (ht
This was the first super-Earth exoplanet within a star's habitable zone whose atmosphere was detected,[6] and the first discovery
tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a
mOdtYv5G4E)
of water in a habitable-zone exoplanet.[4][5] Water had previously been detected in the atmospheres of non-habitable-zone
exoplanets such as HD 209458 b, XO-1b, WASP-12b, WASP-17b, and WASP-19b.[13][14][15]
Astronomers emphasised that the discovery of water in the atmosphere of K2-18b does not mean the planet can support life or is even habitable, as it probably lacks any solid
surface or an atmosphere that can support life.[4] Nevertheless, finding water in a habitable zone exoplanet helps understand how planets are formed.[4] K2-18b is now
expected to be observed with the James Webb Space Telescope, due to launch in 2021, and the ARIEL space telescope, due to launch in 2028. Both will carry instruments
designed to determine the composition of exoplanet atmospheres.[5]

See also
Extraterrestrial liquid water
Habitability of red dwarf systems
List of potentially habitable exoplanets
Habitability of natural satellites#In the Solar System – Measure of the potential of natural satellites to have environments hospitable to life
Planetary habitability – Extent to which a planet is suitable for life as we know it

References
1. Cloutier, R.; et al. (5 December 2017). "Characterization of the K2-18 multi-
planetary system with HARPS. A habitable zone super-Earth and discovery of a
second, warm super-Earth on a non-coplanar orbit" (https://www.aanda.org/articl
es/aa/full_html/2017/12/aa31558-17/aa31558-17.html). Astronomy &
Astrophysics. 608 (35). A35. arXiv:1707.04292
(https://arxiv.org/abs/1707.04292). Bibcode:2017A&A...608A..35C (https://ui.adsa
bs.harvard.edu/abs/2017A&A...608A..35C). doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201731558
(https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6361%2F201731558). Retrieved 11 September
2019.
2. Sarkis, Paula; et al. (2018). "The CARMENES Search for Exoplanets around M
Dwarfs: A Low-mass Planet in the Temperate Zone of the Nearby K2-18". The
Astronomical Journal. 155 (6): 257. arXiv:1805.00830 (https://arxiv.org/abs/1805.
00830). Bibcode:2018AJ....155..257S (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018A
J....155..257S). doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aac108 (https://doi.org/10.3847%2F1538
-3881%2Faac108).
3. Cloutier, R.; et al. (7 January 2019). "Confirmation of the radial velocity super-
Earth K2-18c with HARPS and CARMENES". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 621.
A49. arXiv:1810.04731 (https://arxiv.org/abs/1810.04731).
Bibcode:2019A&A...621A..49C (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019A&A...62
1A..49C). doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201833995 (https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6
361%2F201833995).
4. Ghosh, Pallab (12 September 2019). "Water found for first time on 'potentially
habitable' planet" (https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49648746).
BBC News. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
5. Greshko, Michael (11 September 2019). "Water found on a potentially life-friendly
alien planet" (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/09/first-water-fo
und-in-habitable-exoplanets-atmosphere-hubble-kepler-k2-18b/). National
Geographic. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
6. Tsiaras, Angelos; et al. (11 September 2019). "Water vapour in the atmosphere of
the habitable-zone eight-Earth-mass planet K2-18 b" (https://www.nature.com/arti
cles/s41550-019-0878-9). Nature Astronomy: 1–6. arXiv:1909.05218 (https://arxi
v.org/abs/1909.05218). Bibcode:2019arXiv190905218T (https://ui.adsabs.harvar
d.edu/abs/2019arXiv190905218T). doi:10.1038/s41550-019-0878-9 (https://doi.or
g/10.1038%2Fs41550-019-0878-9). Retrieved 11 September 2019.
7. "NASA's Kepler Mission Announces Largest Collection of Planets Ever
Discovered" (https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasas-kepler-mission-announc
es-largest-collection-of-planets-ever-discovered/) (Press release). NASA. 10 May
2016. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
 8. Montet, Benjamin T.; et al. (5 August 2015). "Stellar and Planetary Properties of
K2 Campaign 1 Candidates and Validation of 17 Planets, Including a Planet
Receiving Earth-like Insolation". The Astrophysical Journal. 809 (1): 25.
arXiv:1503.07866 (https://arxiv.org/abs/1503.07866).
Bibcode:2015ApJ...809...25M (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015ApJ...80
9...25M). doi:10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/25 (https://doi.org/10.1088%2F0004-637
X%2F809%2F1%2F25).
9. Benneke, Björn; et al. (12 January 2017). "Spitzer Observations Confirm and
Rescue the Habitable-zone Super-earth K2-18b for Future Characterization". The
Astrophysical Journal. 834 (2): 187. arXiv:1610.07249 (https://arxiv.org/abs/1610.
07249). Bibcode:2017ApJ...834..187B (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017Ap
J...834..187B). doi:10.3847/1538-4357/834/2/187 (https://doi.org/10.3847%2F15
38-4357%2F834%2F2%2F187).
10. "K2-18 -- High proper-motion Star" (http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Iden
t=k2-18&submit=submit+id). SIMBAD. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
11. Wall, Mike (11 September 2019). "The Water Vapor Find on 'Habitable' Exoplanet
K2-18 b Is Exciting — But It's No Earth Twin" (https://www.space.com/alien-plane
t-k2-18b-water-vapor-not-earth-twin.html). Space.com. Retrieved 12 September
2019. "Tsiaras and his colleagues published their results today (Sept. 11) in the
journal Nature Astronomy. The other research team, led by Björn Benneke of the
Université de Montréal, posted its paper on the online preprint site arXiv.org
Tuesday. The study by Benneke et al. has not yet been peer-reviewed."
12. Grossman, Lisa (11 September 2019). "This may be the first known exoplanet
with rain and clouds of water droplets" (https://www.sciencenews.org/article/first-k
nown-exoplanet-rain-clouds-water-droplets). ScienceNews. Retrieved
11 September 2019.
13. "Hubble Traces Subtle Signals of Water on Hazy Worlds" (http://www.nasa.gov/c
ontent/goddard/hubble-traces-subtle-signals-of-water-on-hazy-worlds/). NASA. 3
December 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
14. Deming, D.; et al. (2013). "Infrared Transmission Spectroscopy of the Exoplanets
HD 209458b and XO-1b Using the Wide Field Camera-3 on the Hubble Space
Telescope". The Astrophysical Journal. 774 (2): 95. arXiv:1302.1141 (https://arxiv.
org/abs/1302.1141). Bibcode:2013ApJ...774...95D (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/
abs/2013ApJ...774...95D). doi:10.1088/0004-637X/774/2/95 (https://doi.org/10.10
88%2F0004-637X%2F774%2F2%2F95).
15. Mandell, A. M.; et al. (2013). "Exoplanet Transit Spectroscopy Using WFC3:
WASP-12 b, WASP-17 b, and WASP-19 b". The Astrophysical Journal. 779 (2):
128. arXiv:1310.2949 (https://arxiv.org/abs/1310.2949).
Bibcode:2013ApJ...779..128M (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013ApJ...77
9..128M). doi:10.1088/0004-637X/779/2/128 (https://doi.org/10.1088%2F0004-63
7X%2F779%2F2%2F128).

External links
Benneke, Björn; et al. (2019). "Water Vapor on the Habitable-Zone Exoplanet K2-18b". arXiv:1909.04642 (https://arxiv.org/abs/1909.04642) [astro-ph.EP (https://arxiv.org/
archive/astro-ph.EP)].
K2-18 b Confirmed Planet Overview Page (http://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/DisplayOverview/nph-DisplayOverview?objname=K2-18+b&type=CONFIRME
D_PLANET) NASA Exoplanet Archive

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