WASP-119 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-119 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-119, located approximately 986.5 light-years (302.45 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.4374% across the stellar disk), this world measures 15.693 Earth radii (1.4 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 390.931 Earth masses (1.23 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.56 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.59 g⊕ (15.59 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 55.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-119, WASP-119 b completes one full revolution every 2.5 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0363 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 158 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.058 carries the world between 0.0342 AU at periapsis and 0.0384 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1600 K (+1327°C / +2421°F) and receiving 907.86 S⊕ (~1,235,601 W/m²), WASP-119 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-119 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G5 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,650 K, a radius of 1.2 R☉, a mass of 1.02 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.317 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.14 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-119 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.314 (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-South · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | WASP-119 |
| Spectral Type | G5 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,650 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.2000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0200 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.317 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.140 dex |
| Stellar Age | 8.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.314 · G: 12.101 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.036300 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.5 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 158 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.05800 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 85.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.56 g/cm³ (55.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 907.8624 S⊕ (~1,235,601 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 986.500 LY (302.448 pc) |