Kepler-1112 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1112 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1112, located approximately 5451 light-years (1671.28 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 3.02 Earth radii (0.27 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 9.38 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.88 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.03 g⊕ (10.1 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19.7 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1112, Kepler-1112 b completes one full revolution every 14.363 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1239 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 93.8 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 918 K (+645°C / +1193°F) and receiving 254.96 S⊕ (~347,005 W/m²), Kepler-1112 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1112 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,496 K, a radius of 1.54 R☉, a mass of 1.34 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.789 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.09 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1112 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.74 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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