TOI-2346 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TOI-2346 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star TOI-2346, located approximately 1426.9 light-years (437.48 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2025 by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.1467% across the stellar disk), this world measures 16.119 Earth radii (1.44 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 394.107 Earth masses (1.24 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.52 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.52 g⊕ (14.91 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 55.3 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TOI-2346, TOI-2346 b completes one full revolution every 3.331 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0473 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 154.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.086 carries the world between 0.0432 AU at periapsis and 0.0514 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1689 K (+1416°C / +2581°F) and receiving 1,360.00 S⊕ (~1,850,960 W/m²), TOI-2346 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star TOI-2346 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,480 K, a radius of 1.38 R☉, a mass of 1.271 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.013 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.9 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.03 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, TOI-2346 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.366 (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-2346 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,480 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.3800 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2710 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 3.013 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.030 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.900 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.366 · G: 11.924 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.047300 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.331 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 154.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.08600 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.0100° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.52 g/cm³ (55.3 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1360.0000 S⊕ (~1,850,960 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1426.900 LY (437.484 pc) |