Kepler-6 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
Kepler-6 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-6, located approximately 1914.7 light-years (587.04 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2009 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.9281% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.617 Earth radii (1.3 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 212.31 Earth masses (0.67 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.37 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.99 g⊕ (9.71 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 42.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around Kepler-6, Kepler-6 b completes one full revolution every 3.235 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04852 AU (an ultra-close orbit less than one-seventh of Mercury's 0.387 AU distance from the Sun, where strong stellar tidal forces typically induce synchronous rotation). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 163.2 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 1460 K (+1187°C / +2169°F) and receiving 792.22 S⊕ (~1,078,209 W/m²), Kepler-6 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star Kepler-6 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,647 K, a radius of 1.391 R☉, a mass of 1.209 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.765 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.34 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-6 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.286 (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-6 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,647 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.3910 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2090 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.765 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.340 dex |
| Stellar Age | 3.800 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.286 · G: 13.171 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.048520 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.235 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 163.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.9300° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.37 g/cm³ (42.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 792.2180 S⊕ (~1,078,209 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1914.700 LY (587.039 pc) |