Kepler-526 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-526 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-526, located approximately 2172.7 light-years (666.15 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0256% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.99 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.62 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.23 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.17 g⊕ (11.47 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-526, Kepler-526 b completes one full revolution every 5.458 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.06518 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 129.9 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 1099 K (+826°C / +1519°F) and receiving 584.35 S⊕ (~795,306 W/m²), Kepler-526 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-526 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,894 K, a radius of 1.14 R☉, a mass of 1.15 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.407 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.14 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.34 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-526 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.194 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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