K2-349 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-349 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-349, located approximately 1479.3 light-years (453.57 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0667% 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 K2-349, K2-349 b completes one full revolution every 9.032 Earth days.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 518 K (+245°C / +473°F), K2-349 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-349 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,385 K, a radius of 0.49 R☉, a mass of 0.54 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.08 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.66 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-349 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.585 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) 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 | K2-349 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,385 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.4900 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.5400 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.08 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.660 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.585 · G: 14.183 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | — |
| Orbital Period | 9.032 days |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 5.2 g/cm³ (15 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | — |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1479.300 LY (453.567 pc) |