The Kepler-442 system is about 342 pc away from Earth. (Torres et al., 2015; Kane et al., 2016). Kepler-442 b has an orbital period of 112.30530 ± 0.00260 days, has a semi-major axis of 0.409 AU, a radius of 1.34 ± 0.14 R🜨, an eccentricity of 0.04, and an estimated mass of 2.36 M🜨 (Kane et al., 2016; Kepler-442 B - NASA Science, n.d.).
Kepler-442’s classification as a relatively stable, long-lived K-type star (with a mass of 0.6 M☉) enhances its candidacy for hosting life. It is around 2.9 billion years old and has a peak wavelength in the red-orange, specifically around 658 nm (Torres et al., 2015; Kiang et al., 2007). In contrast to more massive stars (>1.3 M☉), which evolve off the main sequence too rapidly to support long-term biological development, K-type stars offer both the energy and the temporal stability conducive to evolution (Cuntz & Guinan, 2016). For these reasons, Kepler-442 b has been widely regarded as a strong candidate for habitability and is the focal point of this exploration.