TOI-1601 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TOI-1601 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star TOI-1601, located approximately 1097.9 light-years (336.61 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 0.3517% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.199 Earth radii (1.27 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 387 Earth masses (1.22 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.75 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.92 g⊕ (18.83 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 58.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TOI-1601, TOI-1601 b completes one full revolution every 5.332 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.069 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 140.8 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 1494 K (+1221°C / +2230°F) and receiving 1,071.42 S⊕ (~1,458,203 W/m²), TOI-1601 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star TOI-1601 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,982 K, a radius of 2.195 R☉, a mass of 1.5055 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 5.535 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.343 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, TOI-1601 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.66 (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-1601 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,982 K |
| Stellar Radius | 2.1950 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.5055 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 5.535 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.343 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.660 · G: 10.528 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.069000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 5.332 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 140.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.8400° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.75 g/cm³ (58.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1071.4200 S⊕ (~1,458,203 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1097.900 LY (336.608 pc) |