K2-374 c
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-374 c is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star K2-374, located approximately 1172.3 light-years (359.44 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2022 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.05% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.213 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 5.53 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.81 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.13 g⊕ (11.08 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-374, K2-374 c completes one full revolution every 16.434 Earth days.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 2.213 R⊕, K2-374 c 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 K2-374 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G3 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,789 K, a radius of 0.907 R☉, a mass of 0.731 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.829 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.292 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-374 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.783 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The K2-374 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with K2-374 c sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside K2-374 b.
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 | K2-374 |
| Spectral Type | G3 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,789 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9070 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.7310 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.829 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.292 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.783 · G: 12.647 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | — |
| Orbital Period | 16.434 days |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.81 g/cm³ (17.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | — |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1172.300 LY (359.439 pc) |