Kepler-94 c
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
Kepler-94 c is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-94, located approximately 625.9 light-years (191.9 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by W. M. Keck Observatory using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 12.5 Earth radii (1.12 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 3126 Earth masses (9.84 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 8.83 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 20.01 g⊕ (196.23 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 176.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around Kepler-94, Kepler-94 c completes one full revolution every 820.3 Earth days (2.25Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.596807 AU (corresponding to the middle-system regime between Mars at 1.52 AU and Jupiter at 5.20 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 21.2 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.34593, swinging from 1.0444 AU at periapsis out to 2.1492 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
❄️ Thermal Regime (Cryogenic Zone): With an equilibrium temperature of 159 K (-114°C / -173°F) and an incident flux of 0.10 S⊕ (~130 W/m²), surface water and volatile species on Kepler-94 c would remain locked in cryogenic ice phases unless warmed by subsurface tidal or radiogenic heating.
The host star Kepler-94 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M0 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,781 K, a radius of 0.76 R☉, a mass of 0.81 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.271 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.41 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.34 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-94 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.071 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The Kepler-94 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with Kepler-94 c sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside Kepler-94 b.
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: W. M. Keck Observatory · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | Kepler-94 |
| Spectral Type | M0 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,781 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7600 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.271 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.340 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.410 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.071 · G: 12.857 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.596807 AU |
| Orbital Period | 820.3 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 21.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.34593 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 8.83 g/cm³ (176.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.0955 S⊕ (~130 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 625.900 LY (191.904 pc) |