TOI-1296 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TOI-1296 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star TOI-1296, located approximately 1054.3 light-years (323.27 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2021 by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.5774% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.116 Earth radii (1.26 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 95.3 Earth masses (0.3 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.19 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.48 g⊕ (4.71 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 29.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TOI-1296, TOI-1296 b completes one full revolution every 3.944 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.051 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 140.7 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 1415 K (+1142°C / +2088°F) and receiving 1,078.60 S⊕ (~1,467,971 W/m²), TOI-1296 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star TOI-1296 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,567 K, a radius of 1.7031 R☉, a mass of 1.1576 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.5 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7.1 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.405 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, TOI-1296 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.37 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern 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 | TOI-1296 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,567 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.7031 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1576 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.5 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.405 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.100 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.370 · G: 11.291 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.051000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.944 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 140.7 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.8100° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.19 g/cm³ (29.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1078.5971 S⊕ (~1,467,971 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1054.300 LY (323.265 pc) |