Kepler-1279 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1279 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1279, located approximately 4873.5 light-years (1494.22 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0146% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.75 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.71 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.82 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.21 g⊕ (11.87 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 16.3 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1279, Kepler-1279 b completes one full revolution every 23.477 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1785 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 82.7 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 738 K (+465°C / +869°F) and receiving 190.85 S⊕ (~259,748 W/m²), Kepler-1279 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1279 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,221 K, a radius of 1.33 R☉, a mass of 1.21 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.377 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.82 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.06 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1279 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.137 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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