Kepler-88


Kepler-88 is a Sun-like star in the constellation of Lyra, with three confirmed planets. In April 2012, scientists discovered that a Kepler candidate KOI-142.01 exhibited very significant transit-timing variations caused by a non-transiting planet. Timing variations were large enough to cause changes to transit durations to Kepler-88b as well. Large transit-timing variations helped to put tight constraints to masses of both planets. The non-transiting planet was further confirmed through the radial velocity method in November 2013.

Planetary system

Kepler-88 b is the inner most planet in the system and is Neptune-sized but almost half as dense.
Keppler 88 c is about 60% as massive as Jupiter but its radius is not known due to not transiting the planet.
Keppler-88 d orbits its star every four years, and its orbit is not circular, but elliptical. At three times the mass of Jupiter, Kepler-88 d is the most massive. Keppler-88 d was discovered based on six years of radial velocity follow-up from the W. M. Keck Observatory High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer spectrograph.