Kepler-846 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-846 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-846, located approximately 3676.2 light-years (1127.12 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0624% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.48 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 6.71 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.43 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 18.4 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-846, Kepler-846 b completes one full revolution every 19.808 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1399 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 76.8 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 624 K (+351°C / +664°F) and receiving 35.28 S⊕ (~48,011 W/m²), Kepler-846 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-846 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,579 K, a radius of 0.91 R☉, a mass of 0.94 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.72 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.37 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-846 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.684 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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