K2-34 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-34 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star K2-34, located approximately 1137.1 light-years (348.65 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.7881% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.75 Earth radii (1.23 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 539.675 Earth masses (1.7 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.14 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.85 g⊕ (27.95 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 70.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-34, K2-34 b completes one full revolution every 2.996 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0442 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 160.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The orbit is modeled as circular (e = 0.00), maintaining a constant stellar distance throughout its year.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1687 K (+1414°C / +2577°F) and receiving 963.57 S⊕ (~1,311,413 W/m²), K2-34 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-34 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,168 K, a radius of 1.42 R☉, a mass of 1.16 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.618 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.88 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.01 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, K2-34 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.447 (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 | K2-34 |
| Spectral Type | F |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,168 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.4200 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.618 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.010 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.880 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.447 · G: 11.436 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.044200 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.996 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 160.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 82.2300° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.14 g/cm³ (70.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 963.5660 S⊕ (~1,311,413 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1137.100 LY (348.646 pc) |