Kepler-1794 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1794 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1794, located approximately 1830.5 light-years (561.23 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0406% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.794 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.87 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.7 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.2 g⊕ (11.77 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 16.4 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1794, Kepler-1794 b completes one full revolution every 9.763 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0821 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 91.5 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 703 K (+430°C / +806°F) and receiving 57.59 S⊕ (~78,380 W/m²), Kepler-1794 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1794 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,052 K, a radius of 0.816 R☉, a mass of 0.773 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.389 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 14 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.02 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1794 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.497 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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