Kepler-654 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-654 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-654, located approximately 3177.2 light-years (974.12 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0292% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.07 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 4.94 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.07 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.15 g⊕ (11.28 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 17.3 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-654, Kepler-654 b completes one full revolution every 13.725 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.11664 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 92.5 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 831 K (+558°C / +1036°F) and receiving 229.31 S⊕ (~312,092 W/m²), Kepler-654 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-654 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,865 K, a radius of 1.11 R☉, a mass of 1.04 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.308 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 5.37 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-654 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.762 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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