WASP-131 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-131 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-131, located approximately 652.6 light-years (200.08 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.6514% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.742 Earth radii (1.23 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 86.767 Earth masses (0.27 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.18 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.46 g⊕ (4.51 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 28.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-131, WASP-131 b completes one full revolution every 5.322 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0608 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 124.3 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 1460 K (+1187°C / +2169°F) and receiving 995.37 S⊕ (~1,354,702 W/m²), WASP-131 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-131 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G0 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,990 K, a radius of 1.561 R☉, a mass of 1.06 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.815 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.2 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-131 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.068 (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-131 |
| Spectral Type | G0 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,990 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.5610 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.815 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.200 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.068 · G: 9.867 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.060800 AU |
| Orbital Period | 5.322 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 124.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 84.9600° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.18 g/cm³ (28.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 995.3724 S⊕ (~1,354,702 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 652.600 LY (200.075 pc) |