K2-269 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-269 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-269, located approximately 1176.6 light-years (360.76 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0099% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.57 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.09 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.4 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.25 g⊕ (12.26 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 15.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-269, K2-269 b completes one full revolution every 4.145 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0531 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 139.4 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1429 K (+1156°C / +2113°F) and receiving 1,041.53 S⊕ (~1,417,519 W/m²), K2-269 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-269 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,209 K, a radius of 1.45 R☉, a mass of 1.16 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.804 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.08 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, K2-269 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.784 (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 | K2-269 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,209 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.4500 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.804 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.080 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.784 · G: 11.377 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.053100 AU |
| Orbital Period | 4.145 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 139.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.7200° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.4 g/cm³ (15.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1041.5274 S⊕ (~1,417,519 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1176.600 LY (360.760 pc) |