K2-153 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-153 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-153, located approximately 466.8 light-years (143.13 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.1197% 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 K2-153, K2-153 b completes one full revolution every 7.516 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0614 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 88.9 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 497 K (+224°C / +435°F) and receiving 11.80 S⊕ (~16,060 W/m²), K2-153 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-153 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M3.0 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,845 K, a radius of 0.53 R☉, a mass of 0.55 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.055 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.09 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, K2-153 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.96 (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 | K2-153 |
| Spectral Type | M3.0 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,845 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.5300 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.5500 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.055 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.090 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.960 · G: 14.271 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.061400 AU |
| Orbital Period | 7.516 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 88.9 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 | 11.8000 S⊕ (~16,060 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 466.800 LY (143.125 pc) |