Kepler-748 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-748 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-748, located approximately 5564.2 light-years (1705.99 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0441% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.52 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 6.9 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.38 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.09 g⊕ (10.69 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 18.5 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-748, Kepler-748 b completes one full revolution every 7.407 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0745 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 109.4 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 938 K (+665°C / +1229°F) and receiving 439.78 S⊕ (~598,538 W/m²), Kepler-748 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-748 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,934 K, a radius of 1.1 R☉, a mass of 1.07 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.346 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.72 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.08 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-748 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.37 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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