WASP-164 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-164 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-164, located approximately 1068.2 light-years (327.51 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.547% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.644 Earth radii (1.13 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 676.978 Earth masses (2.13 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.85 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 4.23 g⊕ (41.48 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 81.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-164, WASP-164 b completes one full revolution every 1.777 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.02818 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 172.5 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 1610 K (+1337°C / +2439°F) and receiving 1,043.21 S⊕ (~1,419,812 W/m²), WASP-164 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-164 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G2 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,806 K, a radius of 0.932 R☉, a mass of 0.946 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.886 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.08 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.01 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-164 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.603 (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-164 |
| Spectral Type | G2 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,806 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9320 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9460 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.886 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.010 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.080 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.603 · G: 12.468 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.028180 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.777 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 172.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 82.7300° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.85 g/cm³ (81.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1043.2122 S⊕ (~1,419,812 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1068.200 LY (327.506 pc) |