K2-270 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-270 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-270, located approximately 914.9 light-years (280.52 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.027% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.38 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 2.48 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 5.2 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.3 g⊕ (12.75 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 15 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-270, K2-270 b completes one full revolution every 1.543 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0247 AU (an ultra-close orbit less than one-seventh of Mercury's 0.387 AU distance from the Sun, where strong stellar tidal forces typically induce synchronous rotation). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 174.1 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1203 K (+930°C / +1706°F) and receiving 497.07 S⊕ (~676,515 W/m²), K2-270 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-270 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,877 K, a radius of 0.77 R☉, a mass of 0.85 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.301 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.26 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-270 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.847 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The K2-270 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with K2-270 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside K2-270 c.
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 | K2-270 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,877 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7700 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8500 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.301 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.260 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.847 · G: 13.470 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.024700 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.543 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 174.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 5.2 g/cm³ (15 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 497.0717 S⊕ (~676,515 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 914.900 LY (280.518 pc) |