Kepler-1115 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1115 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1115, located approximately 3206.9 light-years (983.25 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0081% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.7 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.53 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.96 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.22 g⊕ (11.96 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 16.1 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1115, Kepler-1115 b completes one full revolution every 23.554 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.2134 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 98.6 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 1381 K (+1108°C / +2026°F) and receiving 516.10 S⊕ (~702,413 W/m²), Kepler-1115 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1115 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 8,480 K, a radius of 1.73 R☉, a mass of 1.6 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 13.886 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.12 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.51 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1115 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.983 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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