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Astronomy Picture of the Day - A Year for K2-315b
NASA ^ | 14 Mar, 2026 | Artist's Illustration Credit: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle, Christine Daniloff, MIT

Posted on 03/14/2026 12:20:36 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: Want to visit a planet that has 3.14 days in a year? Then plan a trip to K2-315b, an earth-sized planet orbiting around a cool, red, M dwarf star about once every 3.14 days. The exoplanet's discovery, based on publicly available data from the planet-hunting Kepler Space Telescope's extended K2 mission, was announced in 2020. K2-315b's measured orbital period in days is nearly equal to the extremely popular irrational number Pi. That puts the exoplanet so close to its parent star that its surface is likely very warm, baking-hot in fact. And this Pi planet is over 185 light-years away. So instead of trying to arrange for an interstellar vacation to K2-315b, there may be easier and more comfortable ways for you to celebrate Pi day on planet Earth.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
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1 posted on 03/14/2026 12:20:36 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 03/14/2026 12:20:56 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

๐Ÿช ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŒŒ ๐Ÿ”

3 posted on 03/14/2026 12:21:45 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

It takes a big skywriting airplane to get all those numbers up there.


4 posted on 03/14/2026 12:46:29 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancerโ€ )
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To: MtnClimber

Wow


5 posted on 03/14/2026 1:24:29 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who youโ€™ll know me as )
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