K2-47 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-47 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-47, located approximately 1141.2 light-years (349.88 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.052% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.89 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.23 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.45 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.18 g⊕ (11.57 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 16.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-47, K2-47 b completes one full revolution every 31.637 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1779 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 61.2 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 504 K (+231°C / +448°F) and receiving 10.70 S⊕ (~14,563 W/m²), K2-47 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-47 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,054 K, a radius of 0.76 R☉, a mass of 0.75 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.338 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.224 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-47 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.065 (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 | K2-47 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,054 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7600 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.7500 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.338 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.224 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.065 · G: 13.740 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.177900 AU |
| Orbital Period | 31.637 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 61.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 3.45 g/cm³ (16.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 10.7000 S⊕ (~14,563 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1141.200 LY (349.881 pc) |