Kepler-96 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-96 b is a confirmed sub-neptune exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-96, located approximately 400.8 light-years (122.88 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0576% across the stellar disk), this world measures 2.67 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 8.46 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.45 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 1.19 g⊕ (11.67 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 19.9 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-96, Kepler-96 b completes one full revolution every 16.239 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.1261 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 84.5 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 711 K (+438°C / +820°F) and receiving 57.52 S⊕ (~78,290 W/m²), Kepler-96 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-96 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,690 K, a radius of 1.02 R☉, a mass of 1 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.978 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.34 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, Kepler-96 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.568 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

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