KIC 3558849 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
KIC 3558849 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star KIC 3558849, located approximately 3965.1 light-years (1215.7 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2015 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.3923% across the stellar disk), this world measures 6.9 Earth radii (0.62 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 38.1 Earth masses (0.12 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.64 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.8 g⊕ (7.85 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 26.3 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around KIC 3558849, KIC 3558849 b completes one full revolution every 1322.3 Earth days (3.62Julian years).
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 6.900 R⊕, KIC 3558849 b exceeds the empirical ~1.8–2.2 R⊕ Fulton radius valley threshold, indicating a substantial hydrogen-helium or supercritical volatile envelope without a conventional solid terrestrial surface.
The host star KIC 3558849 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,175 K, a radius of 1.01 R☉, a mass of 0.98 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.331 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.42 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, KIC 3558849 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.32 (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 | KIC 3558849 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,175 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.0100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9800 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.331 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.420 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.320 · G: 14.167 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | — |
| Orbital Period | 1322.3 days |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.9730° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.64 g/cm³ (26.3 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | — |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 3965.100 LY (1215.700 pc) |