Kepler-1748 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1748 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1748, located approximately 3533.2 light-years (1083.28 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0829% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.713 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 7.81 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.16 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.06 g⊕ (10.4 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1748, Kepler-1748 b completes one full revolution every 5.824 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0615 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 114.9 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 955 K (+682°C / +1260°F) and receiving 196.33 S⊕ (~267,205 W/m²), Kepler-1748 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1748 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,774 K, a radius of 0.864 R☉, a mass of 0.916 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.744 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.22 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1748 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 16.004 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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