WASP-158 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-158 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-158, located approximately 1712.3 light-years (524.99 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.6258% across the stellar disk), this world measures 11.994 Earth radii (1.07 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 886.746 Earth masses (2.79 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.83 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 6.16 g⊕ (60.41 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 96.2 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-158, WASP-158 b completes one full revolution every 3.656 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0517 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 153.8 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 1590 K (+1317°C / +2403°F) and receiving 903.01 S⊕ (~1,229,001 W/m²), WASP-158 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-158 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F6 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,350 K, a radius of 1.39 R☉, a mass of 1.38 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.818 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.93 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.24 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-158 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.044 (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-158 |
| Spectral Type | F6 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,350 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.3900 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.3800 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.818 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.240 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.930 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.044 · G: 12.091 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.051700 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.656 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 153.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 87.7000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.83 g/cm³ (96.2 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 903.0130 S⊕ (~1,229,001 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1712.300 LY (524.993 pc) |