Below is a list of the smallest exoplanets so far discovered, in terms of physical size, ordered by radius.
The sizes are listed in units of Earth radii (R🜨). All planets listed are smaller than Earth and Venus, up to 0.7 Earth radii. The NASA Exoplanet Archive is used as the main data source. [1] [2]
Exoplanet | Radius (R🜨) | Notes and references |
---|---|---|
SDSS J0845+2257 b | 0.01-0.013 | Planetesimal, enhanced in iron and silicates. [3] |
WD 1145+017 b | ~0.03 [4] | Disintegrating planetesimal, likely one of several orbiting its star. Likely about one-tenth the mass of Ceres and ~200 km in radius. [4] |
Ceres | 0.0742 | Shown for comparison |
Pluto | 0.1863 | Shown for comparison |
Moon | 0.2725 | Shown for comparison |
Kepler-37b | 0.3098+0.0059 −0.0076 | Smallest known exoplanet. [5] [6] |
PSR B1257+12 b (Draugr) | ~0.338 | Least massive known exoplanet, at 0.02 Earth masses. Radius estimated from mass-radius relationship. [7] |
Kepler-1520b | ≲0.36 | Disintegrating planets with poorly known radii, all thought to be smaller than Mercury. [8] [9] |
KOI-2700b | ||
K2-22b | ||
Mercury | 0.3826 | Shown for comparison |
Kepler-879c | 0.4±0.1 | [10] |
Kepler-444b | 0.403+0.016 −0.014 | [11] |
Ganymede | 0.413 | Shown for comparison |
Kepler-158d | 0.43±0.05 | [10] |
Kepler-102b | 0.460±0.026 | [6] |
Kepler-444c | 0.497+0.021 −0.017 | [11] |
Kepler-1971b (KOI-4777.01) | 0.51±0.03 | [12] |
Kepler-1489c | 0.51±0.08 | [10] |
Kepler-1994b | 0.51+0.06 −0.05 | [13] |
Kepler-1308b | 0.52+0.06 −0.05 | |
Kepler-444d | 0.530+0.022 −0.019 | [11] |
Mars | 0.5325 | Shown for comparison |
Kepler-62c | 0.54±0.03 | |
Kepler-444e | 0.546+0.017 −0.015 | [11] |
Gliese 238 b | 0.566±0.014 | [14] |
Kepler-102c | 0.567±0.028 | [6] |
Kepler-42d | 0.57±0.18 | |
Kepler-1583b | 0.60+0.09 −0.05 | |
Kepler-1998b | 0.6+0.08 −0.04 | [15] |
Kepler-963c | 0.6±0.2 | [10] |
Kepler-1087b | 0.61+0.17 −0.05 | |
K2-89b | 0.615±0.080 | |
Kepler-1877b | 0.624 | |
K2-137b | 0.64±0.10 [16] | The discovery paper finds a larger radius of 0.89±0.09 R🜨 [17] |
Kepler-1371c | 0.64+0.07 −0.05 | |
Kepler-138b | 0.64±0.02 | [18] |
Kepler-1130d | 0.645 | |
Kepler-1351b | 0.65+0.05 −0.04 | |
Kepler-1542c | 0.65+0.09 −0.06 | |
Kepler-271d | 0.66±0.05 | |
Kepler-431c | 0.668 | |
Kepler-1558b | 0.68+0.06 −0.04 | |
LHS 1678 b | 0.685+0.037 −0.035 | [19] |
K2-116b | 0.69±0.04 | |
Kepler-141b | 0.69±0.05 | |
K2-297b (EPIC 201497682 b) | 0.692+0.059 −0.048 | |
Gliese 367 b (Tahay) | 0.699±0.024 | Smallest known exoplanet within 10 parsecs. [20] |
Kepler-2003b (KOI-4978.02) | 0.7±0.1 | [10] |
Kepler-378c | 0.70±0.05 |
Kepler-37e is listed with a radius of 0.37±0.18 R🜨 in the Exoplanet Archive based on KOI data, but the existence of this planet is doubtful, [21] and assuming its existence, a 2023 study found a mass of 8.1±1.7 M🜨 , inconsistent with such a small radius. [22]
KOI-6705.01, listed as a potential very small planet in the KOI dataset, was shown to be a false positive in 2016. [23]
Below shows a list candidate planets below 0.7 R🜨. These planets have yet to be confirmed.
Kepler object of interest | Radius (R🜨) | Notes and references |
---|---|---|
SDSS J1228+1040 b (SDSS J122859.92+104033.0 b, WD 1226+110 b) | 0.010+0.0504 −0.0085 [24] [25] | Extrasolar planetesimal. Likely a remnant iron core. Radius is in the range of 1.2 –120 km. [24] Has been disputed in a 2023 publication. [26] |
KOI-4582.01 | 0.35 [27] | |
KOI-2298.03 | 0.36 [27] | |
KIC 1718360.01 | 0.366 [28] | |
KOI-2169.04 | 0.37 [27] | |
KOI-7174.01 | 0.37 [27] | |
KOI-8012.01 | 0.42 [27] | |
KOI-6860.01 | 0.43 [27] | |
KOI-2059.02 | 0.44 [27] | |
KOI-304.02 | 0.46 [27] | |
KOI-7793.01 | 0.46 [27] | |
KOI-2678.02 | 0.48 [27] | |
KOI-6631.01 | 0.48 [27] | |
KOI-2421.02 | 0.48 [27] | |
KOI-5974.01 | 0.49 [27] | |
KOI-3444.03 | 0.5 [27] | |
KOI-2295.01 | 0.52 [27] | |
KOI-7863.01 | 0.52 [27] | |
KOI-2612.02 | 0.53 [27] | |
KOI-4657.01 | 0.54 [27] | |
KOI-8257.01 | 0.54 [27] | |
KOI-115.03 (Kepler-105d) | 0.55+0.08 −0.07 | [29] |
KOI-2421.01 | 0.55 [27] | |
KOI-4097.02 | 0.55 [27] | |
KOI-7645.01 | 0.55 [27] | |
KOI-3208.01 | 0.56 [27] | |
KOI-6763.01 | 0.56 [27] | |
KOI-2859.03 | 0.57 [27] | |
KOI-4146.02 | 0.57 [27] | |
KOI-2859.04 | 0.57 [27] | |
KOI-7873.01 | 0.57 [27] | |
TOI-4307.02 | 0.57±0.14 [30] | |
KOI-2657.01 | 0.58 [27] | |
KOI-8277.01 | 0.58 [27] | |
KOI-4296.01 | 0.59 [27] | |
KOI-3196.01 | 0.59 [27] | |
KOI-5692.01 | 0.59 [27] | |
KOI-1964.01 | 0.6 [27] | |
KOI-4407.01 | 0.6 [27] | |
KOI-4871.01 | 0.6 [27] | |
KOI-5211.01 | 0.6 [27] | |
KOI-7888.01 | 0.6 [27] | |
KOI-3184.03 | 0.6 [27] | |
KOI-8183.01 | 0.6 [27] | |
KOI-3083.02 | 0.61 [27] | |
KOI-4421.01 | 0.61 [27] | |
KOI-4716.01 | 0.61 [27] | |
KOI-3102.01 | 0.61 [27] | |
KOI-7032.01 | 0.61 [27] | |
KOI-1843.03 | 0.61+0.12 −0.08 | [31] |
KOI-1499.02 | 0.62 [27] | |
KOI-605.02 | 0.62 [27] | |
KOI-7676.01 | 0.62 [27] | |
KOI-4849.01 | 0.62 [27] | |
KOI-365.02 | 0.62 [27] | |
KOI-7116.01 | 0.62 [27] | |
KOI-4421.02 | 0.62 [27] | |
KOI-7949.01 | 0.62 [27] | |
KOI-2029.04 | 0.63 [27] | |
KOI-6889.01 | 0.63 [27] | |
KOI-2636.02 | 0.63 [27] | |
KOI-3248.01 | 0.64 [27] | |
KOI-5213.01 | 0.64 [27] | |
KOI-6276.01 | 0.64 [27] | |
KOI-7617.01 | 0.64 [27] | |
KOI-7903.01 | 0.64 [27] | |
KOI-7925.01 | 0.64 [27] | |
KOI-8174.01 | 0.64 [27] | |
KOI-3083.03 | 0.65 [27] | |
KOI-4875.01 | 0.65 [27] | |
KOI-4808.01 | 0.65 [27] | |
KOI-6568.01 | 0.65 [27] | |
KOI-1619.01 | 0.66 [27] | |
KOI-3111.02 | 0.66 [27] | |
KOI-2859.05 | 0.66 [27] | |
KOI-3017.01 | 0.67 [27] | |
KOI-4907.01 | 0.67 [27] | |
KOI-1616.02 | 0.67 [27] | |
KOI-6299.01 | 0.67 [27] | |
KOI-8211.01 | 0.67 [27] | |
KOI-2593.02 | 0.68 [27] | |
KOI-4605.01 | 0.68 [27] | |
KOI-7832.01 | 0.68 [27] | |
KOI-7483.01 | 0.68 [27] | |
KOI-2623.02 | 0.68 [27] | |
KOI-7924.01 | 0.68 [27] | |
KOI-7628.01 | 0.69 [27] | |
KOI-4129.01 | 0.69 [27] | |
KOI-4822.01 | 0.69 [27] | |
KOI-6600.01 | 0.69 [27] |
A Super-Earth or super-terran is a type of exoplanet with a mass higher than Earth's, but substantially below those of the Solar System's ice giants, Uranus and Neptune, which are 14.5 and 17 times Earth's, respectively. The term "super-Earth" refers only to the mass of the planet, and so does not imply anything about the surface conditions or habitability. The alternative term "gas dwarfs" may be more accurate for those at the higher end of the mass scale, although "mini-Neptunes" is a more common term.
Kepler-20 is a star about 934 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra with a system of at least five, and possibly six, known planets. The apparent magnitude of this star is 12.51, so it cannot be seen with the unaided eye. Viewing it requires a telescope with an aperture of 15 cm (6 in) or more. It is slightly smaller than the Sun, with 94% of the Sun's radius and about 91% of the Sun's mass. The effective temperature of the photosphere is slightly cooler than that of the Sun at 5466 K, giving it the characteristic yellow hue of a stellar class G8 star. The abundance of elements other than hydrogen or helium, what astronomers term the metallicity, is approximately the same as in the Sun. It may be older than the Sun, although the margin of error here is relatively large.
Kepler-42, formerly known as KOI-961, is a red dwarf located in the constellation Cygnus and approximately 131 light years from the Sun. It has three known extrasolar planets, all of which are smaller than Earth in radius, and likely also in mass.
Kepler-80, also known as KOI-500, is a red dwarf star of the spectral type M0V. This stellar classification places Kepler-80 among the very common, cool, class M stars that are still within their main evolutionary stage, known as the main sequence. Kepler-80, like other red dwarf stars, is smaller than the Sun, and it has both radius, mass, temperatures, and luminosity lower than that of our own star. Kepler-80 is found approximately 1,223 light years from the Solar System, in the stellar constellation Cygnus, also known as the Swan.
Kepler-102 is a star 353 light-years away in the constellation of Lyra. Kepler-102 is less luminous than the Sun. The star system does not contain any observable amount of dust. Kepler-102 is suspected to be orbited by a binary consisting of two red dwarf stars, at projected separations of 591 and 627 AU.
Kepler-444 is a triple star system, estimated to be 11.2 billion years old, approximately 119 light-years (36 pc) away from Earth in the constellation Lyra. On 27 January 2015, the Kepler spacecraft is reported to have confirmed the detection of five sub-Earth-sized rocky exoplanets orbiting the main star. The star is a K-type main sequence star. All of the planets are far too close to their star to harbour life forms.
Kepler-84 is a Sun-like star 3,339 light-years from the Sun. It is a G-type star. The stellar radius measurement has a large uncertainty of 48% as in 2017, complicating the modelling of the star. The Kepler-84 star has two suspected stellar companions. Four red dwarfs are few arcseconds away and at least one is probably gravitationally bound to Kepler-84. Another is a yellow star of mass 0.855M☉ on projected separations of 0.18±0.05″ or 0.26″.
TOI-700 d is a near-Earth-sized exoplanet, likely rocky, orbiting within the habitable zone of the red dwarf TOI-700, the outermost planet within the system. It is located roughly 101.4 light-years (31.1 pc) away from Earth in the constellation of Dorado. The exoplanet is the first Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
[...]the radii are not known but are thought to be smaller than Mercury (0.36R⊕).
We confirmed the disintegrating-planet scenario of KOI 2700b.