What it’s like to stand here
LkCa 15 c
sun
0.09× as wide
sky
amber-orange

Illustration computed from this world’s measured and derived values, not a photograph.

LkCa 15 c

LkCa 15 c is a confirmed sub-Neptune exoplanet 516 ly from Earth in the constellation Taurus, discovered in 2015 by Large Binocular Telescope Observatory.

516 lyDiscovered in 2015 by Large Binocular Telescope ObservatoryDisputed detection

Imaging: photographed directly, as a faint point of light beside its star.

LkCa 15
host star
radius
mass · minimum (m·sin i)
orbital period
-214°C (-353°F)
avg temp
Human scale

Its orange dwarf looks 0.09× as wide as ours, bathing the surface in amber-orange light. At an estimated -214°C (-353°F) it is colder than almost anywhere in the solar system.

gravity, needs mass + radius
one year, in Earth time
0.09× as wide
how big its sun looks vs ours
amber-orange
midday sky tint
jump, needs gravity
rotation unknown

What these mean: surface gravity · tidal locking · equilibrium temperature

Hear how a voice sounds herea computed acoustic demo

Your voice would sound deep and slow, dropped to a low bass.

Assuming Earth-like air at this world's temperature of about -214°C (-353°F), sound would travel roughly 55% slower than on Earth, so your voice would sound deep and slow, dropped to a low bass. The real atmosphere is unknown, so this is a best guess.

sound speed ≈ 155 m/s · 0.45× Earth · assumes Earth-like air

A real voice sample, pitch-shifted (tempo held constant) to suggest the acoustics: a playful approximation, not a precise simulation. Voice: Lingua Libre / Vealhurl, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The journey
Cosmic travel advisory
☆☆☆☆
Do not travel
  • !Cryogenic at roughly -214°C (-353°F), cold enough to freeze most gases solid.

A playful read of LkCa 15 c’s measured and computed values, not a real advisory.

How long to get there · 516 ly away
Jet airliner
619 million years
dies en route1000-yr cryo: fails
Parker Solar Probethe fastest craft ever built
804,481 years
dies en route1000-yr cryo: fails
Light speed
516 years
dies en route1000-yr cryo: survives
Warp 10
188 days
arrives thriving
Folding spacetimeinstant, plus 1 hr of paperwork
1 hour
arrives thriving
Size vs Earth
Explore from here · roam the neighborhood

Zoom out: star → system → (soon) galaxy arm, host black hole, and a real image of the host galaxy.

Can you see it tonight? · observe
SMALL TELESCOPE NEEDED
Host-star brightnessmag 12.0
ConstellationTaurus
To see the host star4-6" (100-150 mm) telescope
Gear bridge

Matched telescope & eyepiece recommendations are coming. Any product links will carry a clear affiliate disclosure.

Common questions

How far is LkCa 15 c from Earth?

LkCa 15 c lies about 516 light-years from Earth.

How long would it take to get to LkCa 15 c?

At the speed of NASA's Parker Solar Probe, the fastest craft ever built, the journey would take about 804,481 years.

How hot is LkCa 15 c?

LkCa 15 c's equilibrium temperature, the balance it reaches from its star's light alone before any greenhouse warming, is about -214°C (-353°F).

Illustration generated from LkCa 15 c's confirmed parameters, not a photograph.