WASP-161 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-161 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-161, located approximately 1119 light-years (343.08 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.4707% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.812 Earth radii (1.14 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 791.397 Earth masses (2.49 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.07 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 4.82 g⊕ (47.27 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 87.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-161, WASP-161 b completes one full revolution every 5.406 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0673 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 135.4 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s).
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1557 K (+1284°C / +2343°F) and receiving 990.00 S⊕ (~1,347,390 W/m²), WASP-161 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-161 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,400 K, a radius of 1.712 R☉, a mass of 1.39 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 4.412 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.16 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-161 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.079 (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-161 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,400 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.7120 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.3900 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 4.412 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.160 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.079 · G: 10.899 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.067300 AU |
| Orbital Period | 5.406 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 135.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | Circular (0.00) |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.0100° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.07 g/cm³ (87.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 990.0000 S⊕ (~1,347,390 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1119.000 LY (343.080 pc) |