Lupus-TR-3 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Lupus-TR-3 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star Lupus-TR-3, located approximately 2522.5 light-years (773.41 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2007 by Multiple Observatories using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.244% across the stellar disk), this world measures 9.976 Earth radii (0.89 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 257.431 Earth masses (0.81 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.43 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.59 g⊕ (25.4 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 56.8 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Lupus-TR-3, Lupus-TR-3 b completes one full revolution every 3.914 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0464 AU (an ultra-close orbit less than one-seventh of Mercury's 0.387 AU distance from the Sun, where strong stellar tidal forces typically induce synchronous rotation). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 129 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The orbit is modeled as circular (e = 0.00), maintaining a constant stellar distance throughout its year.

⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1014 K (+741°C / +1366°F) and receiving 15.96 S⊕ (~21,721 W/m²), Lupus-TR-3 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Lupus-TR-3 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,000 K, a radius of 0.82 R☉, a mass of 0.87 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.377 L☉. From Earth, Lupus-TR-3 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 19.62 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere.

Discovery Facility: Multiple Observatories · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).