K2-344 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-344 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-344, located approximately 245.2 light-years (75.17 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0885% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.59 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.15 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.32 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 K2-344, K2-344 b completes one full revolution every 3.356 Earth days.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 722 K (+449°C / +840°F) and receiving 37.30 S⊕ (~50,761 W/m²), K2-344 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-344 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,374 K, a radius of 0.49 R☉, a mass of 0.51 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.079 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.95 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-344 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.423 (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 | K2-344 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,374 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.4900 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.5100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.079 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.950 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.423 · G: 12.742 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | — |
| Orbital Period | 3.356 days |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.32 g/cm³ (15.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 37.2966 S⊕ (~50,761 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 245.200 LY (75.169 pc) |