astronomy

K2-236b

K2-236b is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand K2-236b rather than just read about it. In short: K2-236b is a Neptune-like exoplanet that orbits an F-type star. It is also called EPIC 211945201 b.

Key takeaways

K2-236b belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect K2-236b to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of K2-236b from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

K2-236b is a Neptune-like exoplanet that orbits an F-type star. It is also called EPIC 211945201 b. Its mass is 27 Earths, it takes 19.5 days to complete one orbit of its star, and is 0.148 AU from its star. Its discovery was announced in 2018. This was the first exoplanet discovered by scientists based in India. The discoverers were Abhijit Chakraborty (PRL), Arpita Roy (Caltech), Rishikesh Sharma (PRL), Suvrath Mahadevan (Penn State), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg), Neelam J. S. S. V. Prasad (PRL), and B. G. Anandarao (PRL).

Overview The exoplanet K2-236b was discovered in 2018 using the transit method. Using this method, astronomers can photometrically analyze the atmospheric composition of other planets, detecting compounds such as methane and water vapor. It is the only planet orbiting around EPIC 211945201, a G0 class star, situated in the constellation of Cancer at a distance of 596 light-years from the Sun. Its host star is aged 4 billion years. K2-236b orbits its star in about 19 terrestrial days. It orbits closer to the star than the internal limit of the habitable zone. It has a low density and may be composed of gas.

Discovery K2-236b was found to be a planetary candidate from K2 photometry in Campaigns 5 & 16. The exoplanet transits the bright star (Vmag = 10.15, G0 spectral type) in a 19.492 day orbit. The photometric data combined with false positive probability calculations using VESPA may not be sufficient to confirm the planetary scenario, but high-resolution spectroscopic are taken using the PARAS spectrograph (19 radial velocity observations) over a time-baseline of 420 days. The data shows that the planet has a radius of 6.12 ± 0.1 R🜨 and a mass of 27+14−12.6 M🜨. It consists of a density of 0.65+0.34−0.30 g/cm3. Based on the mass and radius, it is estimated that the heavy element content is 60-70 % of the total mass. The surface temperature of the planet was found to be around 817 K (544 °C; 1,011 °F), as it is very close to the host star. It is seven times nearer to its star, in comparison with Earth-Sun distance. This shows that the extra-solar planet is in the uninhabitable zone. The discovery is of importance for understanding the formation mechanism of such super-Neptune or sub-Saturn planets that are too close to the host star, according to scientists.

See also List of exoplanet firsts List of exoplanetary host stars List of exoplanets discovered using the Kepler spacecraft List of planets observed during Kepler's K2 mission

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with K2-236b

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what K2-236b claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to K2-236b before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about K2-236b ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of K2-236b

In research: K2-236b appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses K2-236b in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: K2-236b is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Cancer (constellation), Exoplanets discovered by K2, Exoplanets discovered in 2018, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for K2-236b outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study K2-236b in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what K2-236b means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain K2-236b out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is K2-236b in simple terms?

K2-236b is a Neptune-like exoplanet that orbits an F-type star. It is also called EPIC 211945201 b.

Why does K2-236b matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study K2-236b?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on K2-236b.