Kepler-1237 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1237 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1237, located approximately 3471.3 light-years (1064.31 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0849% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.86 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 8.55 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.02 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.05 g⊕ (10.3 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19.3 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1237, Kepler-1237 b completes one full revolution every 84.573 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.3778 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 48.6 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 366 K (+93°C / +199°F) and receiving 4.04 S⊕ (~5,501 W/m²), Kepler-1237 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1237 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,472 K, a radius of 0.9 R☉, a mass of 0.94 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.652 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.57 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.12 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1237 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 16.012 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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