Kepler-1715 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1715 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1715, located approximately 1704.5 light-years (522.61 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0986% across the stellar disk), this world measures 4.14 Earth radii (0.37 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 16 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.24 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.93 g⊕ (9.12 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 22 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1715, Kepler-1715 b completes one full revolution every 35.597 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.22429 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 68.5 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 646 K (+373°C / +703°F) and receiving 53.00 S⊕ (~72,133 W/m²), Kepler-1715 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1715 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,212 K, a radius of 1.209 R☉, a mass of 1.082 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.953 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.47 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1715 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.881 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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