WASP-159 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-159 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-159, located approximately 2333.3 light-years (715.38 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.4517% across the stellar disk), this world measures 15.468 Earth radii (1.38 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 174.807 Earth masses (0.55 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.26 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.73 g⊕ (7.16 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 37.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-159, WASP-159 b completes one full revolution every 3.84 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0538 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 152.4 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 1850 K (+1577°C / +2871°F) and receiving 1,599.92 S⊕ (~2,177,491 W/m²), WASP-159 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-159 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F9 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,120 K, a radius of 2.11 R☉, a mass of 1.41 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 5.604 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.22 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-159 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.836 (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-159 |
| Spectral Type | F9 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,120 K |
| Stellar Radius | 2.1100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.4100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 5.604 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.220 dex |
| Stellar Age | 3.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.836 · G: 12.295 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.053800 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.84 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 152.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.1000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.26 g/cm³ (37.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1599.9200 S⊕ (~2,177,491 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 2333.300 LY (715.383 pc) |