Kepler-1673 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1673 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1673, located approximately 2371.8 light-years (727.19 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2020 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0566% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.936 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 8.93 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.95 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.04 g⊕ (10.2 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19.5 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1673, Kepler-1673 b completes one full revolution every 33.789 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.21363 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 68.8 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 611 K (+338°C / +640°F) and receiving 30.50 S⊕ (~41,511 W/m²), Kepler-1673 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1673 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,015 K, a radius of 1.1317 R☉, a mass of 1.11 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.504 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.62 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.228 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1673 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.783 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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