Kepler-1051 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1051 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1051, located approximately 2705 light-years (829.34 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0325% across the stellar disk), this world measures 3.4 Earth radii (0.3 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 11.5 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.61 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.99 g⊕ (9.71 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 20.6 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1051, Kepler-1051 b completes one full revolution every 25.962 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.18395 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 77.1 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 850 K (+577°C / +1071°F) and receiving 87.46 S⊕ (~119,029 W/m²), Kepler-1051 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1051 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,675 K, a radius of 1.73 R☉, a mass of 1.43 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 5.331 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.74 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1051 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.212 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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