TIC 46432937 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TIC 46432937 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star TIC 46432937, located approximately 295.3 light-years (90.54 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 5.3076% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.316 Earth radii (1.19 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 1017.051 Earth masses (3.2 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.38 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 5.74 g⊕ (56.29 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 97.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TIC 46432937, TIC 46432937 b completes one full revolution every 1.44 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.02065 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 156 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.009 (ranging from 0.0205 AU at periapsis to 0.0208 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 872 K (+599°C / +1110°F) and receiving 115.13 S⊕ (~156,694 W/m²), TIC 46432937 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star TIC 46432937 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,572 K, a radius of 0.5299 R☉, a mass of 0.563 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.041 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.323 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, TIC 46432937 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 14.268 (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 | TIC 46432937 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,572 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.5299 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.5630 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.041 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.323 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 14.268 · G: 13.433 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.020650 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.44 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 156 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00900 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 84.3500° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.38 g/cm³ (97.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 115.1312 S⊕ (~156,694 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 295.300 LY (90.537 pc) |