Kepler-1000 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1000 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1000, located approximately 3638.7 light-years (1115.62 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0835% across the stellar disk), this world measures 4.76 Earth radii (0.42 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 20.3 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.04 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.9 g⊕ (8.83 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 23.1 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1000, Kepler-1000 b completes one full revolution every 120.018 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.5326 AU (situated at an orbital separation between Mercury's 0.39 AU and Venus's 0.72 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 48.3 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 473 K (+200°C / +392°F) and receiving 18.00 S⊕ (~24,498 W/m²), Kepler-1000 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1000 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,453 K, a radius of 1.51 R☉, a mass of 1.4 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.547 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.26 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.35 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1000 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.23 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

Discovery Facility: Kepler · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).