TOI-4600 c
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
TOI-4600 c is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star TOI-4600, located approximately 704.7 light-years (216.06 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 1.1368% across the stellar disk), this world measures 9.42 Earth radii (0.84 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 2946.269 Earth masses (9.27 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 19.44 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 33.2 g⊕ (325.58 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 197.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around TOI-4600, TOI-4600 c completes one full revolution every 482.819 Earth days (1.32Julian years) at a semi-major axis of 1.152 AU (comparable to the inner terrestrial zone between Venus, Earth at 1.00 AU, and Mars at 1.52 AU). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 26 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.21 carries the world between 0.9101 AU at periapsis and 1.3939 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
☁️ Atmospheric Regime (Volatile / Gas Envelope): With a radius of 9.420 R⊕, TOI-4600 c exceeds the empirical ~1.8–2.2 R⊕ Fulton radius valley threshold, indicating a substantial hydrogen-helium or supercritical volatile envelope without a conventional solid terrestrial surface.
The host star TOI-4600 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,170 K, a radius of 0.81 R☉, a mass of 0.89 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.421 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.3 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.16 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, TOI-4600 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.577 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The TOI-4600 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with TOI-4600 c sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside TOI-4600 b.
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-4600 |
| Spectral Type | K V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,170 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8900 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.421 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.160 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.300 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.577 · G: 12.441 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 1.152000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 482.819 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 26 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.21000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.9000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 19.44 g/cm³ (197.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 48.3867 S⊕ (~65,854 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 704.700 LY (216.056 pc) |