What the number means
Equilibrium temperature estimates how warm a planet would be if absorbed starlight and emitted heat were balanced, without modeling a greenhouse atmosphere.
Build a fictional planetary system and estimate its equilibrium temperature. The model is intentionally simplified: atmosphere, clouds, rotation, and chemistry can radically change a real planet.
Equilibrium temperature estimates how warm a planet would be if absorbed starlight and emitted heat were balanced, without modeling a greenhouse atmosphere.
Earth’s measured average surface temperature is higher than its simple equilibrium estimate because greenhouse gases retain some outgoing infrared energy.
Liquid water also depends on pressure, atmosphere, chemistry, radiation, geology, and time. A pleasant-looking number is not proof of life.