Kepler-1185 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1185 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1185, located approximately 1497.9 light-years (459.27 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0196% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.33 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 2.33 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 5.46 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.32 g⊕ (12.94 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 14.8 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1185, Kepler-1185 b completes one full revolution every 104.352 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.4297 AU (situated at an orbital separation between Mercury's 0.39 AU and Venus's 0.72 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 44.8 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 355 K (+82°C / +180°F) and receiving 9.31 S⊕ (~12,671 W/m²), Kepler-1185 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1185 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,622 K, a radius of 0.87 R☉, a mass of 0.96 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.678 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.55 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1185 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.63 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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