Kepler-1071 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1071 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1071, located approximately 3399.4 light-years (1042.27 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0726% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.38 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 6.26 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.56 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.11 g⊕ (10.89 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 18.1 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1071, Kepler-1071 b completes one full revolution every 6.18 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0629 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 110.7 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 814 K (+541°C / +1006°F) and receiving 45.12 S⊕ (~61,408 W/m²), Kepler-1071 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1071 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,215 K, a radius of 0.81 R☉, a mass of 0.86 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.435 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.27 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.01 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1071 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.881 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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