K2-354 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-354 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-354, located approximately 299.2 light-years (91.72 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.1217% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.56 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.05 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.43 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 15.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-354, K2-354 b completes one full revolution every 3.793 Earth days.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 543 K (+270°C / +518°F), K2-354 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-354 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,669 K, a radius of 0.41 R☉, a mass of 0.43 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.027 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, K2-354 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.296 (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 | K2-354 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,669 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.4100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.4300 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.027 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.040 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 15.296 · G: 14.375 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | — |
| Orbital Period | 3.793 days |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.43 g/cm³ (15.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | — |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 299.200 LY (91.722 pc) |