Kepler-1062 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1062 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1062, located approximately 1296.3 light-years (397.46 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0531% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.76 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.75 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.79 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.21 g⊕ (11.87 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 16.3 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1062, Kepler-1062 b completes one full revolution every 9.304 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0748 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 87.5 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 583 K (+310°C / +590°F) and receiving 33.76 S⊕ (~45,947 W/m²), Kepler-1062 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1062 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,597 K, a radius of 0.7 R☉, a mass of 0.75 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.196 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.45 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.11 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1062 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.095 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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