K2-110 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-110 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star K2-110, located approximately 379.9 light-years (116.47 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2017 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.1111% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.592 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 15.9 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 5.03 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 2.37 g⊕ (23.24 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 27.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-110, K2-110 b completes one full revolution every 13.864 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.10207 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 80.1 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.13 carries the world between 0.0888 AU at periapsis and 0.1153 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 638 K (+365°C / +689°F) and receiving 27.70 S⊕ (~37,700 W/m²), K2-110 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-110 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K3 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,010 K, a radius of 0.713 R☉, a mass of 0.738 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.287 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.34 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-110 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.985 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere.
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 | K2-110 |
| Spectral Type | K3 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,010 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7130 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.7380 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.287 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.340 dex |
| Stellar Age | 8.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.985 · G: 11.663 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.102070 AU |
| Orbital Period | 13.864 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 80.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.13000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.3500° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 5.03 g/cm³ (27.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 27.7000 S⊕ (~37,700 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 379.900 LY (116.474 pc) |