Kepler-1816 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
Kepler-1816 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1816, located approximately 1428 light-years (437.82 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0653% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.968 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.53 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.28 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.17 g⊕ (11.47 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1816, Kepler-1816 b completes one full revolution every 91.501 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.35647 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 42.4 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.
✓ Classified as a Temperate Habitable Zone Candidate.
With an estimated equilibrium temperature of 310 K (+37°C / +99°F) and an incident stellar irradiance of 2.00 S⊕ (~2,722 W/m²), Kepler-1816 b orbits within the empirical circumstellar habitable zone where a rocky surface under sufficient atmospheric pressure can maintain liquid surface water.
The host star Kepler-1816 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,051 K, a radius of 0.706 R☉, a mass of 0.786 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.291 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.24 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1816 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.734 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.
Methodology: Computed using the Schulze-Makuch et al. (2011) weighted metric comparing physical interior (radius, estimated density) and surface thermal regime (escape velocity, equilibrium temperature).
Discovery Facility: Kepler · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | Kepler-1816 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,051 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7060 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.7860 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.291 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.240 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.700 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.734 · G: 14.455 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.356470 AU |
| Orbital Period | 91.501 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 42.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.9900° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 3.28 g/cm³ (17 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2.0000 S⊕ (~2,722 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | ★ Temperate Zone |
| Celestial Distance | 1428.000 LY (437.823 pc) |