Kepler-1444 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1444 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1444, located approximately 1042.6 light-years (319.68 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0362% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.18 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 5.39 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.87 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.13 g⊕ (11.08 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17.6 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1444, Kepler-1444 b completes one full revolution every 33.42 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.20906 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 68.1 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 581 K (+308°C / +586°F) and receiving 25.94 S⊕ (~35,307 W/m²), Kepler-1444 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1444 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,810 K, a radius of 1.05 R☉, a mass of 1.03 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.127 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.79 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.06 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1444 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.363 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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