K2-150 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-150 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-150, located approximately 334.3 light-years (102.48 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.1769% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.66 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.21 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.17 g⊕ (11.47 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-150, K2-150 b completes one full revolution every 10.594 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0727 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 74.7 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 413 K (+140°C / +284°F) and receiving 4.90 S⊕ (~6,669 W/m²), K2-150 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-150 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M2.5 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,499 K, a radius of 0.436 R☉, a mass of 0.457 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.026 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.09 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-150 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.784 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern 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 | K2-150 |
| Spectral Type | M2.5 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,499 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.4360 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.4570 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.026 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.090 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 15.784 · G: 14.815 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.072700 AU |
| Orbital Period | 10.594 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 74.7 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 3.21 g/cm³ (17.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 4.9000 S⊕ (~6,669 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 334.300 LY (102.483 pc) |