Kepler-1596 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1596 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1596, located approximately 7000.1 light-years (2146.23 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0358% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.9 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.27 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.43 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.18 g⊕ (11.57 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 16.8 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1596, Kepler-1596 b completes one full revolution every 66.373 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.3237 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 53.1 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 471 K (+198°C / +388°F) and receiving 33.38 S⊕ (~45,427 W/m²), Kepler-1596 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1596 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,706 K, a radius of 0.92 R☉, a mass of 0.95 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.805 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.89 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.11 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1596 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.632 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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