TOI-244 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TOI-244 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star TOI-244, located approximately 71.9 light-years (22.03 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2023 by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.107% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.52 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 2.68 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 4.21 g/cm³ (a terrestrial silicate-iron composition comparable to Earth (5.51 g/cm³)), a surface gravity of 1.16 g⊕ (11.38 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 14.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TOI-244, TOI-244 b completes one full revolution every 7.397 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0559 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 82.2 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 458 K (+185°C / +365°F) and receiving 7.30 S⊕ (~9,935 W/m²), TOI-244 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star TOI-244 is classified as a low-mass red dwarf of spectral type M2.5 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 3,433 K, a radius of 0.426 R☉, a mass of 0.428 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.023 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.39 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, TOI-244 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.861 (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-244 |
| Spectral Type | M2.5 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 3,433 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.4260 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.4280 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.023 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.390 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.861 · G: 11.553 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.055900 AU |
| Orbital Period | 7.397 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 82.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.3200° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 4.21 g/cm³ (14.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 7.3000 S⊕ (~9,935 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 71.900 LY (22.034 pc) |