LHS 3844 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
LHS 3844 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star LHS 3844, located approximately 48.5 light-years (14.89 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2019 by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.3891% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.286 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 2.37 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 6.14 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.43 g⊕ (14.02 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 15.2 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around LHS 3844, LHS 3844 b completes one full revolution every 0.463 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.00624 AU (an ultra-close orbit less than one-seventh of Mercury's 0.387 AU distance from the Sun, where strong stellar tidal forces typically induce synchronous rotation). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 146.6 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 816 K (+543°C / +1009°F) and receiving 73.67 S⊕ (~100,265 W/m²), LHS 3844 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star LHS 3844 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M4.5-M5.0 with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,080 K, a radius of 0.189 R☉, a mass of 0.151 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.00288 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7.8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.22 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, LHS 3844 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 15.24 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern 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: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | LHS 3844 |
| Spectral Type | M4.5-M5.0 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,080 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.1890 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.1510 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.00288 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.220 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.800 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 15.240 · G: 13.393 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.006240 AU |
| Orbital Period | 0.463 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 146.6 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.9000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 6.14 g/cm³ (15.2 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 73.6700 S⊕ (~100,265 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 48.500 LY (14.885 pc) |