TOI-163 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TOI-163 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star TOI-163, located approximately 1342.8 light-years (411.72 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2019 by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.8621% across the stellar disk), this world measures 16.69 Earth radii (1.49 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 387.753 Earth masses (1.22 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.46 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.39 g⊕ (13.63 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 53.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TOI-163, TOI-163 b completes one full revolution every 4.231 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.058 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 149.1 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 1669 K (+1396°C / +2545°F) and receiving 1,489.11 S⊕ (~2,026,682 W/m²), TOI-163 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star TOI-163 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,495 K, a radius of 1.648 R☉, a mass of 1.4352 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 4.336 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.823 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.22 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, TOI-163 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.467 (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 | TOI-163 |
| Spectral Type | F |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,495 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.6480 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.4352 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 4.336 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.220 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.823 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.467 · G: 11.219 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.058000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 4.231 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 149.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 87.2400° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.46 g/cm³ (53.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1489.1126 S⊕ (~2,026,682 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1342.800 LY (411.719 pc) |