K2-184 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-184 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-184, located approximately 246.5 light-years (75.59 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0323% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.47 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 2.76 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.79 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.28 g⊕ (12.55 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 15.3 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-184, K2-184 b completes one full revolution every 16.978 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1685 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 108 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 533 K (+260°C / +500°F) and receiving 14.05 S⊕ (~19,122 W/m²), K2-184 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-184 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,245 K, a radius of 0.75 R☉, a mass of 0.84 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.382 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.1 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, K2-184 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.345 (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 | K2-184 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,245 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7500 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8400 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.382 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.100 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.345 · G: 10.130 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.168500 AU |
| Orbital Period | 16.978 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 108 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.4664° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.79 g/cm³ (15.3 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 14.0501 S⊕ (~19,122 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 246.500 LY (75.586 pc) |