Kepler-1469 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1469 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1469, located approximately 3781.1 light-years (1159.3 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0832% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.8 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 8.25 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.07 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 19.2 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1469, Kepler-1469 b completes one full revolution every 21.864 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1466 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 72.9 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 551 K (+278°C / +532°F) and receiving 24.90 S⊕ (~33,890 W/m²), Kepler-1469 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1469 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,507 K, a radius of 0.89 R☉, a mass of 0.92 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.654 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.47 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.02 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1469 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 16.239 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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