K2-50 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-50 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star K2-50, located approximately 839.7 light-years (257.44 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0713% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.59 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.15 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.32 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 15.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-50, K2-50 b completes one full revolution every 8.753 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0705 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 87.6 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 581 K (+308°C / +586°F) and receiving 18.80 S⊕ (~25,587 W/m²), K2-50 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-50 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,326 K, a radius of 0.546 R☉, a mass of 0.611 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.094 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.113 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-50 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.705 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The K2-50 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with K2-50 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside EPIC 201833600 c.
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 | K2-50 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,326 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.5460 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.6110 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.094 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.113 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.705 · G: 14.258 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.070500 AU |
| Orbital Period | 8.753 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 87.6 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.32 g/cm³ (15.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 18.8000 S⊕ (~25,587 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 839.700 LY (257.443 pc) |