TOI-3160 A b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TOI-3160 A b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star TOI-3160 A, located approximately 1851.5 light-years (567.68 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 0.879% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.765 Earth radii (1.23 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 378.216 Earth masses (1.19 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.8 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2 g⊕ (19.61 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 58.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TOI-3160 A, TOI-3160 A b completes one full revolution every 3.971 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0505 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 138.3 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.18 carries the world between 0.0414 AU at periapsis and 0.0596 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1539 K (+1266°C / +2311°F) and receiving 933.00 S⊕ (~1,269,813 W/m²), TOI-3160 A b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star TOI-3160 A is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,190 K, a radius of 1.346 R☉, a mass of 1.088 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.386 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 5.5 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.114 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, TOI-3160 A shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.649 (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-3160 A |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,190 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.3460 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0880 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.386 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.114 dex |
| Stellar Age | 5.500 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.649 · G: 12.371 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.050500 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.971 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 138.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.18000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 84.6300° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.8 g/cm³ (58.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 933.0000 S⊕ (~1,269,813 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1851.500 LY (567.678 pc) |