Kepler-923 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
Kepler-923 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-923, located approximately 3262.5 light-years (1000.28 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0101% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.38 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 2.48 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 5.2 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.3 g⊕ (12.75 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 15 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around Kepler-923, Kepler-923 b completes one full revolution every 6.934 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.07592 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 119.1 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 1104 K (+831°C / +1528°F) and receiving 390.64 S⊕ (~531,656 W/m²), Kepler-923 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star Kepler-923 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,988 K, a radius of 1.26 R☉, a mass of 1.11 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.831 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.68 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.07 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-923 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.124 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.
Methodology: Computed using the Schulze-Makuch et al. (2011) weighted metric comparing physical interior (radius, estimated density) and surface thermal regime (escape velocity, equilibrium temperature).
Discovery Facility: Kepler · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | Kepler-923 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,988 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.2600 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.831 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.070 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.680 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.124 · G: 14.012 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.075920 AU |
| Orbital Period | 6.934 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 119.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 80.2000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 5.2 g/cm³ (15 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 390.6360 S⊕ (~531,656 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 3262.500 LY (1000.280 pc) |