WASP-124 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-124 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-124, located approximately 1463.3 light-years (448.64 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.5607% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.899 Earth radii (1.24 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 190.698 Earth masses (0.6 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.39 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.99 g⊕ (9.71 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 41.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-124, WASP-124 b completes one full revolution every 3.373 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0449 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 144.8 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.017 (ranging from 0.0441 AU at periapsis to 0.0457 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1400 K (+1127°C / +2061°F) and receiving 748.00 S⊕ (~1,018,028 W/m²), WASP-124 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-124 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F9 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,050 K, a radius of 1.02 R☉, a mass of 1.07 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.251 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.1 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.02 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-124 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.724 (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-124 |
| Spectral Type | F9 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,050 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.0200 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.251 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.020 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.100 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.724 · G: 12.575 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.044900 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.373 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 144.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.01700 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.3000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.39 g/cm³ (41.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 748.0000 S⊕ (~1,018,028 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1463.300 LY (448.637 pc) |