K2-330 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-330 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star K2-330, located approximately 522.3 light-years (160.13 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0287% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.77 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 8.1 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.1 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.06 g⊕ (10.4 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-330, K2-330 b completes one full revolution every 13.775 Earth days.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 969 K (+696°C / +1285°F) and receiving 114.93 S⊕ (~156,418 W/m²), K2-330 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-330 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,232 K, a radius of 1.5 R☉, a mass of 1.23 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.045 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.03 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, K2-330 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 9.608 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) 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 | K2-330 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,232 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.5000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2300 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 3.045 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.030 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 9.608 · G: 9.513 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | — |
| Orbital Period | 13.775 days |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.6272° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.1 g/cm³ (19.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 114.9290 S⊕ (~156,418 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 522.300 LY (160.125 pc) |