WASP-144 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-144 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-144, located approximately 1159.5 light-years (355.51 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.163% across the stellar disk), this world measures 9.528 Earth radii (0.85 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 139.845 Earth masses (0.44 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.89 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.54 g⊕ (15.1 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 42.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-144, WASP-144 b completes one full revolution every 2.278 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0316 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 150.9 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 1260 K (+987°C / +1809°F) and receiving 775.88 S⊕ (~1,055,979 W/m²), WASP-144 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-144 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K2 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,200 K, a radius of 0.81 R☉, a mass of 0.81 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.43 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 8.71 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.18 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-144 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.085 (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-144 |
| Spectral Type | K2 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,200 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.43 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.180 dex |
| Stellar Age | 8.710 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.085 · G: 12.915 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.031600 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.278 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 150.9 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.9000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.89 g/cm³ (42.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 775.8849 S⊕ (~1,055,979 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1159.500 LY (355.513 pc) |