Kepler-767 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-767 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-767, located approximately 7341.9 light-years (2251.03 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.4194% across the stellar disk), this world measures 6.64 Earth radii (0.59 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 35.7 Earth masses (0.11 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.67 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.81 g⊕ (7.94 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 25.9 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-767, Kepler-767 b completes one full revolution every 161.528 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.5874 AU (situated at an orbital separation between Mercury's 0.39 AU and Venus's 0.72 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 39.6 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.

⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 366 K (+93°C / +199°F) and receiving 9.37 S⊕ (~12,746 W/m²), Kepler-767 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-767 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,694 K, a radius of 0.94 R☉, a mass of 0.96 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.833 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.07 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.05 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-767 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.678 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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