WASP-160 B b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-160 B b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-160 B, located approximately 940.4 light-years (288.33 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.6653% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.218 Earth radii (1.09 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 88.357 Earth masses (0.28 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.27 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.59 g⊕ (5.79 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 30.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-160 B, WASP-160 B b completes one full revolution every 3.768 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0452 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 130.5 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 1119 K (+846°C / +1555°F) and receiving 210.58 S⊕ (~286,593 W/m²), WASP-160 B b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-160 B is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K0 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,298 K, a radius of 0.868 R☉, a mass of 0.87 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.533 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 9.75 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.27 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-160 B shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.04 (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-160 B |
| Spectral Type | K0 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,298 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8680 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.533 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.270 dex |
| Stellar Age | 9.750 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.040 · G: 12.884 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.045200 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.768 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 130.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.9700° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.27 g/cm³ (30.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 210.5750 S⊕ (~286,593 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 940.400 LY (288.326 pc) |