K2-60 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-60 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star K2-60, located approximately 1604.3 light-years (491.87 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by K2 using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.3927% across the stellar disk), this world measures 7.656 Earth radii (0.68 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 135.396 Earth masses (0.43 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.66 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.31 g⊕ (22.65 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 47 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-60, K2-60 b completes one full revolution every 3.003 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.045 AU (an ultra-close orbit less than one-seventh of Mercury's 0.387 AU distance from the Sun, where strong stellar tidal forces typically induce synchronous rotation). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 163 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The orbit is modeled as circular (e = 0.00), maintaining a constant stellar distance throughout its year.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1400 K (+1127°C / +2061°F) and receiving 1,212.00 S⊕ (~1,649,532 W/m²), K2-60 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star K2-60 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G4 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,500 K, a radius of 1.12 R☉, a mass of 0.97 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.03 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 10 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.01 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, K2-60 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.857 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern 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 | K2-60 |
| Spectral Type | G4 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,500 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.1200 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.03 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.010 dex |
| Stellar Age | 10.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.857 · G: 12.611 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.045000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.003 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 163 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.4900° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.66 g/cm³ (47 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1212.0000 S⊕ (~1,649,532 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1604.300 LY (491.870 pc) |