WASP-132 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-132 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-132, located approximately 400.9 light-years (122.91 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.492% across the stellar disk), this world measures 10.099 Earth radii (0.9 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 136.031 Earth masses (0.43 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.73 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.33 g⊕ (13.04 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 41.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-132, WASP-132 b completes one full revolution every 7.134 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0674 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 102.8 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.0163 (ranging from 0.0663 AU at periapsis to 0.0685 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 682 K (+409°C / +768°F) and receiving 58.50 S⊕ (~79,619 W/m²), WASP-132 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-132 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K4 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,686 K, a radius of 0.758 R☉, a mass of 0.789 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.249 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7.2 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.15 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-132 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.938 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The WASP-132 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 3 confirmed worlds, with WASP-132 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside WASP-132 c, WASP-132 d.
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-132 |
| Spectral Type | K4 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,686 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7580 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.7890 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.249 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.150 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.200 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.938 · G: 11.754 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 3 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.067400 AU |
| Orbital Period | 7.134 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 102.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.01630 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.4600° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.73 g/cm³ (41.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 58.5000 S⊕ (~79,619 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 400.900 LY (122.910 pc) |