KIC 5437945 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
KIC 5437945 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star KIC 5437945, located approximately 4155.3 light-years (1274.01 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2015 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.2239% across the stellar disk), this world measures 6.4 Earth radii (0.57 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 33.6 Earth masses (0.11 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.71 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.82 g⊕ (8.04 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 25.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around KIC 5437945, KIC 5437945 b completes one full revolution every 440.781 Earth days (1.21Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.19671 AU (comparable to the inner terrestrial zone between Venus, Earth at 1.00 AU, and Mars at 1.52 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 29.5 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.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 6.400 R⊕, KIC 5437945 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 5437945 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,340 K, a radius of 1.24 R☉, a mass of 1.07 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.229 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 5.01 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.38 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, KIC 5437945 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.834 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The KIC 5437945 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with KIC 5437945 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside Kepler-460 c.
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 5437945 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,340 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.2400 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.229 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.380 dex |
| Stellar Age | 5.010 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.834 · G: 13.751 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.196710 AU |
| Orbital Period | 440.781 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 29.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.9040° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.71 g/cm³ (25.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2.9000 S⊕ (~3,947 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 4155.300 LY (1274.010 pc) |