Kepler-1580 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1580 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1580, located approximately 3268.1 light-years (1002.02 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0081% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.11 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 5.1 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.99 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.15 g⊕ (11.28 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17.4 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1580, Kepler-1580 b completes one full revolution every 56.645 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.33571 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 64.5 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 733 K (+460°C / +860°F) and receiving 83.09 S⊕ (~113,083 W/m²), Kepler-1580 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1580 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,228 K, a radius of 2.15 R☉, a mass of 1.47 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 6.24 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.75 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.12 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1580 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.635 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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