Kepler-34 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
Kepler-34 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-34, located approximately 5873.5 light-years (1800.82 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2011 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.4567% across the stellar disk), this world measures 8.564 Earth radii (0.76 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 69.92 Earth masses (0.22 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.61 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.95 g⊕ (9.32 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 32 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around Kepler-34, Kepler-34 b completes one full revolution every 288.822 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 1.0896 AU (comparable to the inner terrestrial zone between Venus, Earth at 1.00 AU, and Mars at 1.52 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 41 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.182 carries the world between 0.8913 AU at periapsis and 1.2879 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 8.564 R⊕, Kepler-34 b exceeds the empirical ~1.8–2.2 R⊕ Fulton radius valley threshold, indicating a substantial hydrogen-helium or supercritical volatile envelope without a conventional solid terrestrial surface.
The host star Kepler-34 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,913 K, a radius of 1.1618 R☉, a mass of 1.0479 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.48 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.07 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-34 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.087 (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-34 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,913 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.1618 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0479 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.48 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.070 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 15.087 · G: 14.830 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.089600 AU |
| Orbital Period | 288.822 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 41 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.18200 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 90.3550° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.61 g/cm³ (32 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1.2545 S⊕ (~1,707 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 5873.500 LY (1800.820 pc) |