WASP-100 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-100 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-100, located approximately 1188.5 light-years (364.41 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.7578% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.908 Earth radii (1.33 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 400.466 Earth masses (1.26 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.67 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.8 g⊕ (17.65 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 58 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-100, WASP-100 b completes one full revolution every 2.849 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04574 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 174.6 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The orbit is modeled as circular (e = 0.00), maintaining a constant stellar distance throughout its year.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 2099 K (+1826°C / +3319°F) and receiving 5,502.88 S⊕ (~7,489,423 W/m²), WASP-100 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-100 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F2 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,900 K, a radius of 1.57 R☉, a mass of 0.77 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 5.013 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.57 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.03 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-100 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.798 (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: SuperWASP · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | WASP-100 |
| Spectral Type | F2 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,900 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.5700 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.7700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 5.013 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.030 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.570 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.798 · G: 10.615 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.045740 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.849 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 174.6 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 82.6000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.67 g/cm³ (58 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 5502.8822 S⊕ (~7,489,423 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1188.500 LY (364.411 pc) |