Kepler-1837 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1837 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1837, located approximately 4009 light-years (1229.18 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0389% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.067 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.92 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.07 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.15 g⊕ (11.28 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17.3 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1837, Kepler-1837 b completes one full revolution every 5.906 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.065 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 119.7 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 1012 K (+739°C / +1362°F) and receiving 247.83 S⊕ (~337,297 W/m²), Kepler-1837 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1837 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,966 K, a radius of 0.961 R☉, a mass of 1.049 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.05 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.5 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.02 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1837 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.48 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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