EPIC 206042996 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
EPIC 206042996 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star EPIC 206042996, located approximately 1473.5 light-years (451.77 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2019 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0972% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.7 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.53 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.96 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.22 g⊕ (11.96 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 16.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around EPIC 206042996, EPIC 206042996 b completes one full revolution every 5.299 Earth days.
ℹ️ Thermal & Atmospheric Regime: Current photometric and spectroscopic constraints for EPIC 206042996 b place it outside the conservative habitable zone definition pending further atmospheric characterization.
The host star EPIC 206042996 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,114 K, a radius of 0.5 R☉, a mass of 0.565 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.064 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.006 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, EPIC 206042996 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 16.59 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The EPIC 206042996 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with EPIC 206042996 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside EPIC 206042996 c.
Methodology: Computed using the Schulze-Makuch et al. (2011) weighted metric comparing physical interior (radius, estimated density) and surface thermal regime (escape velocity, equilibrium temperature).
Discovery Facility: K2 · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | EPIC 206042996 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,114 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.5000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.5650 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.064 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.006 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 16.590 · G: 15.975 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | — |
| Orbital Period | 5.299 days |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 90.5000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 3.96 g/cm³ (16.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | — |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1473.500 LY (451.769 pc) |