WASP-141 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-141 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-141, located approximately 1684.7 light-years (516.54 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.8238% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.563 Earth radii (1.21 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 854.963 Earth masses (2.69 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.89 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 4.65 g⊕ (45.6 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 88.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-141, WASP-141 b completes one full revolution every 3.311 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0469 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 154.1 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 1540 K (+1267°C / +2313°F) and receiving 1,061.55 S⊕ (~1,444,775 W/m²), WASP-141 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-141 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F9 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,900 K, a radius of 1.37 R☉, a mass of 1.25 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.041 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 5 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.29 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-141 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.65 (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-141 |
| Spectral Type | F9 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,900 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.3700 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2500 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.041 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.290 dex |
| Stellar Age | 5.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.650 · G: 12.482 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.046900 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.311 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 154.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 87.6000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.89 g/cm³ (88.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1061.5542 S⊕ (~1,444,775 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1684.700 LY (516.543 pc) |