K2-214 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-214 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star K2-214, located approximately 980.6 light-years (300.64 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0347% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.51 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 6.85 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.39 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.09 g⊕ (10.69 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 18.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-214, K2-214 b completes one full revolution every 8.597 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0834 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 105.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1001 K (+728°C / +1342°F) and receiving 238.00 S⊕ (~323,918 W/m²), K2-214 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-214 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,875 K, a radius of 1.236 R☉, a mass of 1.03 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.633 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, K2-214 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.806 (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 | K2-214 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,875 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.2360 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0300 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.633 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.040 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.806 · G: 11.599 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.083400 AU |
| Orbital Period | 8.597 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 105.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.1451° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.39 g/cm³ (18.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 238.0000 S⊕ (~323,918 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 980.600 LY (300.640 pc) |