WASP-106 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-106 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-106, located approximately 1148.7 light-years (352.18 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.57% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.106 Earth radii (1.08 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 613.409 Earth masses (1.93 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.91 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 4.19 g⊕ (41.09 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 79.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-106, WASP-106 b completes one full revolution every 9.29 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0901 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 105.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.023 (ranging from 0.088 AU at periapsis to 0.0922 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1140 K (+867°C / +1593°F) and receiving 327.83 S⊕ (~446,178 W/m²), WASP-106 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-106 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F9 D with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,002 K, a radius of 1.47 R☉, a mass of 1.175 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.516 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.5 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.02 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-106 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.21 (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-106 |
| Spectral Type | F9 D |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,002 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.4700 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1750 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.516 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.020 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.500 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.210 · G: 11.366 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.090100 AU |
| Orbital Period | 9.29 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 105.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.02300 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.3000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.91 g/cm³ (79.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 327.8307 S⊕ (~446,178 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1148.700 LY (352.181 pc) |