K2-372 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-372 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star K2-372, located approximately 1513 light-years (463.88 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2022 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0858% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.945 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 8.98 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.94 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.04 g⊕ (10.2 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-372, K2-372 b completes one full revolution every 9.844 Earth days.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 2.945 R⊕, K2-372 b exceeds the empirical ~1.8–2.2 R⊕ Fulton radius valley threshold, indicating a substantial hydrogen-helium or supercritical volatile envelope without a conventional solid terrestrial surface.
The host star K2-372 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,479 K, a radius of 0.922 R☉, a mass of 0.847 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.687 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.064 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, K2-372 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.589 (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 | K2-372 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,479 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9220 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8470 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.687 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.064 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.589 · G: 13.444 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | — |
| Orbital Period | 9.844 days |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.94 g/cm³ (19.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | — |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1513.000 LY (463.880 pc) |