Kepler-1944 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-1944 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-1944, located approximately 3511 light-years (1076.48 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0678% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.76 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 8.05 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.11 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.06 g⊕ (10.4 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19.1 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-1944, Kepler-1944 b completes one full revolution every 9.843 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0918 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 101.5 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 801 K (+528°C / +982°F) and receiving 97.62 S⊕ (~132,861 W/m²), Kepler-1944 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-1944 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,585 K, a radius of 0.972 R☉, a mass of 1.064 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.825 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.48 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-1944 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.582 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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