K2-292 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-292 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star K2-292, located approximately 372.8 light-years (114.29 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2019 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0489% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.63 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 24.5 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 7.43 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 3.54 g⊕ (34.72 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 34.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-292, K2-292 b completes one full revolution every 16.984 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.13 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 83.3 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.04 (ranging from 0.1248 AU at periapsis to 0.1352 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 795 K (+522°C / +972°F) and receiving 67.00 S⊕ (~91,187 W/m²), K2-292 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-292 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G3 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,725 K, a radius of 1.09 R☉, a mass of 1 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.145 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 6.8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.07 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-292 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 9.885 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) 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 | K2-292 |
| Spectral Type | G3 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,725 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.0900 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0000 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.145 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.070 dex |
| Stellar Age | 6.800 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 9.885 · G: 9.756 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.130000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 16.984 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 83.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.04000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.4000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 7.43 g/cm³ (34.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 67.0000 S⊕ (~91,187 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 372.800 LY (114.293 pc) |