Kepler-835 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-835 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-835, located approximately 7848.4 light-years (2406.33 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0531% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.79 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 8.2 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.08 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.05 g⊕ (10.3 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19.2 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-835, Kepler-835 b completes one full revolution every 11.419 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.107 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 101.9 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 921 K (+648°C / +1198°F) and receiving 170.33 S⊕ (~231,819 W/m²), Kepler-835 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-835 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,954 K, a radius of 1.11 R☉, a mass of 1.08 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.389 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.63 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.08 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-835 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 16.062 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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