WASP-103 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-103 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-103, located approximately 1225.2 light-years (375.65 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.1956% across the stellar disk), this world measures 17.127 Earth radii (1.53 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 473.547 Earth masses (1.49 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.52 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.61 g⊕ (15.79 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 58.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-103, WASP-103 b completes one full revolution every 0.926 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.01985 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 233.3 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 2508 K (+2235°C / +4055°F) and receiving 6,568.69 S⊕ (~8,939,991 W/m²), WASP-103 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-103 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F8 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,110 K, a radius of 1.436 R☉, a mass of 1.22 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.578 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.06 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-103 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.402 (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-103 |
| Spectral Type | F8 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,110 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.4360 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2200 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.578 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.060 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.402 · G: 12.193 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.019850 AU |
| Orbital Period | 0.926 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 233.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.3000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.52 g/cm³ (58.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 6568.6932 S⊕ (~8,939,991 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1225.200 LY (375.647 pc) |