Kepler-1922 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1922 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1922, located approximately 4384.5 light-years (1344.29 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0592% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.291 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 5.86 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.69 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.12 g⊕ (10.98 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17.9 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1922, Kepler-1922 b completes one full revolution every 13.223 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1077 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 88.6 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 740 K (+467°C / +873°F) and receiving 71.11 S⊕ (~96,781 W/m²), Kepler-1922 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1922 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,931 K, a radius of 0.863 R☉, a mass of 0.953 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.827 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.28 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1922 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.388 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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