WASP-10 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-10 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-10, located approximately 459.9 light-years (141 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2008 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 2.5283% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.106 Earth radii (1.08 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 1001.12 Earth masses (3.15 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 3.11 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 6.83 g⊕ (66.98 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 101.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-10, WASP-10 b completes one full revolution every 3.093 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.03781 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 133 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.0473 (ranging from 0.036 AU at periapsis to 0.0396 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1370 K (+1097°C / +2007°F) and receiving 174.03 S⊕ (~236,858 W/m²), WASP-10 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-10 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K5 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,675 K, a radius of 0.698 R☉, a mass of 0.75 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.209 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.03 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-10 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.413 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern 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: SuperWASP · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | WASP-10 |
| Spectral Type | K5 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,675 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.6980 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.7500 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.209 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.030 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.413 · G: 12.174 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.037810 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.093 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 133 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.04730 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.4900° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 3.11 g/cm³ (101.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 174.0323 S⊕ (~236,858 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 459.900 LY (140.998 pc) |