Kepler-1513 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
Kepler-1513 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1513, located approximately 1139.1 light-years (349.25 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.6878% across the stellar disk), this world measures 8.594 Earth radii (0.77 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 48.31 Earth masses (0.15 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.42 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.65 g⊕ (6.37 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 26.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1513, Kepler-1513 b completes one full revolution every 160.884 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.56971 AU (situated at an orbital separation between Mercury's 0.39 AU and Venus's 0.72 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 38.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.306, swinging from 0.3954 AU at periapsis out to 0.744 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 8.594 R⊕, Kepler-1513 b exceeds the empirical ~1.8–2.2 R⊕ Fulton radius valley threshold, indicating a substantial hydrogen-helium or supercritical volatile envelope without a conventional solid terrestrial surface.
The host star Kepler-1513 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,491 K, a radius of 0.95 R☉, a mass of 0.943 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.736 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.17 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1513 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.071 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The Kepler-1513 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with Kepler-1513 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside Kepler-1513 c.
Methodology: Computed using the Schulze-Makuch et al. (2011) weighted metric comparing physical interior (radius, estimated density) and surface thermal regime (escape velocity, equilibrium temperature).
Discovery Facility: Kepler · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | Kepler-1513 |
| Spectral Type | G V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,491 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9500 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9430 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.736 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.170 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.071 · G: 12.956 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.569710 AU |
| Orbital Period | 160.884 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 38.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.30600 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.8600° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.42 g/cm³ (26.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2.2300 S⊕ (~3,035 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1139.100 LY (349.247 pc) |