Kepler-1652 b

Kepler-1652 b is a super-Earth roughly 1.6 times Earth's radius, orbiting a cool red dwarf star 822 light-years away. Its equilibrium temperature of 268 Kelvin (minus 5 Celsius) places it near the frozen edge of the habitable zone, though a thick atmosphere could trap enough heat to allow liquid water on the surface. The planet's density of 4.28 grams per cubic centimeter suggests a rocky composition with a substantial iron core, similar to Earth's makeup. With a mass of 3.19 Earth masses, it likely has retained a thicker atmosphere than Earth—a potential advantage for maintaining warmth and protecting against stellar radiation from its diminutive host star. However, the extreme distance and the planet's placement so close to its star's habitable zone boundary mean surface conditions remain highly speculative; we cannot yet know whether it possesses an atmosphere at all, what gases it contains, or whether tidal forces have rendered it geologically inert. The high habitability score of 87 reflects these promising structural parameters, but the deep uncertainty about atmospheric composition and climate makes any conclusion premature. Kepler-1652 b's relatively early discovery via transit photometry and its striking balance between favorable planetary properties and genuine unknowns make it a worthwhile target for future atmospheric characterization.