K2-232 c
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
K2-232 c is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star K2-232, located approximately 426.4 light-years (130.72 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2026 by Multiple Facilities using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 12.8 Earth radii (1.14 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 1687.669 Earth masses (5.31 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.44 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 10.3 g⊕ (101.01 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 128.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around K2-232, K2-232 c completes one full revolution every 1950 Earth days (5.34Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 3.17 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 17.7 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.352, swinging from 2.0542 AU at periapsis out to 4.2858 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 12.800 R⊕, K2-232 c 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 K2-232 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,100 K, a radius of 1.21 R☉, a mass of 1.121 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.819 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.9 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.106 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, K2-232 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 9.822 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The K2-232 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with K2-232 c sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside K2-232 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: Multiple Facilities · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | K2-232 |
| Spectral Type | F |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,100 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.2100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1210 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.819 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.106 dex |
| Stellar Age | 3.900 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 9.822 · G: 9.726 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 3.170000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1950 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 17.7 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.35200 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.6500° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.44 g/cm³ (128.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 0.1638 S⊕ (~223 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 426.400 LY (130.720 pc) |