WASP-142 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-142 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-142, located approximately 2384 light-years (730.93 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.9191% across the stellar disk), this world measures 17.15 Earth radii (1.53 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 266.977 Earth masses (0.84 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.29 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.91 g⊕ (8.92 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 44.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-142, WASP-142 b completes one full revolution every 2.053 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0347 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 183.9 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 2000 K (+1727°C / +3141°F) and receiving 3,140.92 S⊕ (~4,274,797 W/m²), WASP-142 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-142 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F8 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,010 K, a radius of 1.64 R☉, a mass of 1.33 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.148 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.26 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-142 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.871 (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-142 |
| Spectral Type | F8 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,010 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.6400 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.3300 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 3.148 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.260 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.871 · G: 12.757 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.034700 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.053 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 183.9 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 80.2000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.29 g/cm³ (44.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 3140.9238 S⊕ (~4,274,797 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 2384.000 LY (730.933 pc) |