WASP-140 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-140 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-140, located approximately 383.6 light-years (117.6 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 2.2502% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.235 Earth radii (1.27 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 775.505 Earth masses (2.44 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.48 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 3.83 g⊕ (37.56 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 82.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-140, WASP-140 b completes one full revolution every 2.236 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0323 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 157.2 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.047 (ranging from 0.0308 AU at periapsis to 0.0338 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1270 K (+997°C / +1827°F) and receiving 491.33 S⊕ (~668,695 W/m²), WASP-140 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-140 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K0 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,300 K, a radius of 0.87 R☉, a mass of 0.9 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.536 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.5 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.12 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-140 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.118 (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-140 |
| Spectral Type | K0 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,300 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8700 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9000 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.536 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.120 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.500 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.118 · G: 10.820 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.032300 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.236 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 157.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.04700 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 84.3000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.48 g/cm³ (82.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 491.3260 S⊕ (~668,695 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 383.600 LY (117.598 pc) |