K2-241 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-241 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star K2-241, located approximately 487.5 light-years (149.46 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0972% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.55 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 7.04 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.34 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.08 g⊕ (10.59 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 18.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-241, K2-241 b completes one full revolution every 26.82 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1567 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 63.6 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 507 K (+234°C / +453°F) and receiving 14.58 S⊕ (~19,844 W/m²), K2-241 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-241 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,262 K, a radius of 0.75 R☉, a mass of 0.71 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.387 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.44 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-241 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.97 (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 | K2-241 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,262 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7500 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.7100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.387 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.440 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.970 · G: 11.756 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.156700 AU |
| Orbital Period | 26.82 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 63.6 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.34 g/cm³ (18.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 14.5807 S⊕ (~19,844 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 487.500 LY (149.464 pc) |