Kepler-1888 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1888 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1888, located approximately 1314.2 light-years (402.95 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0095% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.326 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 2.32 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 5.49 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.32 g⊕ (12.94 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 14.8 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1888, Kepler-1888 b completes one full revolution every 11.392 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0956 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 91.3 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 886 K (+613°C / +1135°F) and receiving 145.67 S⊕ (~198,257 W/m²), Kepler-1888 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1888 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,557 K, a radius of 1.249 R☉, a mass of 0.897 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.335 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 11.3 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-1888 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.099 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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