Kepler-1015 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1015 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1015, located approximately 2411.5 light-years (739.36 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0323% across the stellar disk), this world measures 3.55 Earth radii (0.32 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 12.3 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.52 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.98 g⊕ (9.61 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 20.8 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1015, Kepler-1015 b completes one full revolution every 16.005 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1345 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 91.4 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 1040 K (+767°C / +1413°F) and receiving 172.11 S⊕ (~234,244 W/m²), Kepler-1015 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1015 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,769 K, a radius of 1.81 R☉, a mass of 1.49 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 6.171 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.58 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.06 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1015 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.825 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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