Kepler-1494 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1494 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1494, located approximately 4192.7 light-years (1285.48 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0897% across the stellar disk), this world measures 3.07 Earth radii (0.27 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 9.64 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.84 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.02 g⊕ (10 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19.8 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1494, Kepler-1494 b completes one full revolution every 91.08 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.3982 AU (situated at an orbital separation between Mercury's 0.39 AU and Venus's 0.72 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 47.6 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 415 K (+142°C / +288°F) and receiving 9.11 S⊕ (~12,403 W/m²), Kepler-1494 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1494 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,659 K, a radius of 0.94 R☉, a mass of 0.96 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.813 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.37 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.01 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1494 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.372 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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