NGTS-30 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
NGTS-30 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star NGTS-30, located approximately 777.5 light-years (238.38 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2024 by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.091% across the stellar disk), this world measures 10.402 Earth radii (0.93 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 305.115 Earth masses (0.96 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.49 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.82 g⊕ (27.65 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 60.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around NGTS-30, NGTS-30 b completes one full revolution every 98.298 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.408 AU (situated at an orbital separation between Mercury's 0.39 AU and Venus's 0.72 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 45.2 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The planet follows a highly eccentric trajectory (e = 0.294, swinging from 0.288 AU at periapsis out to 0.528 AU at apoapsis), pointing to past dynamical scattering or secular gravitational perturbations.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 500 K (+227°C / +441°F) and receiving 172.86 S⊕ (~235,258 W/m²), NGTS-30 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star NGTS-30 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,455 K, a radius of 0.913 R☉, a mass of 0.94 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.662 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.1 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.03 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, NGTS-30 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.537 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere.
Methodology: Computed using the Schulze-Makuch et al. (2011) weighted metric comparing physical interior (radius, estimated density) and surface thermal regime (escape velocity, equilibrium temperature).
Discovery Facility: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | NGTS-30 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,455 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9130 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9400 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.662 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.030 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.100 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.537 · G: 12.176 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.408000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 98.298 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 45.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.29400 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.4830° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.49 g/cm³ (60.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 172.8570 S⊕ (~235,258 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 777.500 LY (238.377 pc) |