WASP-148 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-148 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-148, located approximately 803.5 light-years (246.35 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2020 by SuperWASP-North using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.7257% across the stellar disk), this world measures 8.474 Earth radii (0.76 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 91.217 Earth masses (0.29 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.83 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.27 g⊕ (12.45 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 36.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-148, WASP-148 b completes one full revolution every 8.804 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.08215 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 101.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.208 carries the world between 0.0651 AU at periapsis and 0.0992 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 940 K (+667°C / +1233°F) and receiving 72.70 S⊕ (~98,943 W/m²), WASP-148 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-148 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,555 K, a radius of 0.912 R☉, a mass of 0.954 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.711 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.6 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.099 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-148 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.036 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere. The WASP-148 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with WASP-148 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside WASP-148 c.
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-North · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | WASP-148 |
| Spectral Type | G |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,555 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9120 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9540 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.711 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.099 dex |
| Stellar Age | 3.600 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.036 · G: 12.085 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.082150 AU |
| Orbital Period | 8.804 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 101.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.20800 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.3000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.83 g/cm³ (36.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 72.6990 S⊕ (~98,943 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 803.500 LY (246.353 pc) |