KELT-14 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
KELT-14 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star KELT-14, located approximately 815.8 light-years (250.12 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by KELT-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.3886% across the stellar disk), this world measures 19.537 Earth radii (1.74 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 408.094 Earth masses (1.28 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.3 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.07 g⊕ (10.49 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 51.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around KELT-14, KELT-14 b completes one full revolution every 1.71 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.03005 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 191.2 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 1970 K (+1697°C / +3087°F) and receiving 826.11 S⊕ (~1,124,340 W/m²), KELT-14 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star KELT-14 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G4 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,720 K, a radius of 1.52 R☉, a mass of 1.239 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.219 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 5.11 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.32 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, KELT-14 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.001 (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: KELT-South · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | KELT-14 |
| Spectral Type | G4 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,720 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.5200 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2390 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.219 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.320 dex |
| Stellar Age | 5.110 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.001 · G: 10.838 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.030050 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.71 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 191.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 78.3000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.3 g/cm³ (51.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 826.1130 S⊕ (~1,124,340 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 815.800 LY (250.121 pc) |