Kepler-1025 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1025 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1025, located approximately 2621.6 light-years (803.78 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0258% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.98 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.58 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.25 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.17 g⊕ (11.47 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1025, Kepler-1025 b completes one full revolution every 37.323 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.21607 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 63 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 1654 K (+1381°C / +2518°F) and receiving 17.95 S⊕ (~24,433 W/m²), Kepler-1025 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1025 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,089 K, a radius of 1.13 R☉, a mass of 1.09 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.575 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.31 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.03 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1025 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.695 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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