Kepler-452 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
Kepler-452 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-452, located approximately 1799.5 light-years (551.73 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2015 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0181% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.63 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 3.29 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.19 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.24 g⊕ (12.16 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 15.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around Kepler-452, Kepler-452 b completes one full revolution every 384.843 Earth days (1.05Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.046 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 29.6 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.
✓ Classified as a Temperate Habitable Zone Candidate.
With an estimated equilibrium temperature of 265 K (-8°C / +18°F) and an incident stellar irradiance of 1.10 S⊕ (~1,497 W/m²), Kepler-452 b orbits within the empirical circumstellar habitable zone where a rocky surface under sufficient atmospheric pressure can maintain liquid surface water.
The host star Kepler-452 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G2 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,757 K, a radius of 1.11 R☉, a mass of 1.037 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.214 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 6 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.21 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-452 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.54 (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-452 |
| Spectral Type | G2 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,757 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.1100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0370 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.214 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.210 dex |
| Stellar Age | 6.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.540 · G: 13.405 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.046000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 384.843 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 29.6 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.8060° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.19 g/cm³ (15.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1.1000 S⊕ (~1,497 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | ★ Temperate Zone |
| Celestial Distance | 1799.500 LY (551.727 pc) |