WASP-165 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-165 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-165, located approximately 1964.2 light-years (602.24 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.5474% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.123 Earth radii (1.26 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 209.132 Earth masses (0.66 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.41 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.05 g⊕ (10.3 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 43 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-165, WASP-165 b completes one full revolution every 3.466 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04823 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 151.4 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 1624 K (+1351°C / +2464°F) and receiving 1,373.53 S⊕ (~1,869,378 W/m²), WASP-165 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-165 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G6 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,599 K, a radius of 1.75 R☉, a mass of 1.248 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.7 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.77 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.33 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-165 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.816 (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-165 |
| Spectral Type | G6 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,599 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.7500 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2480 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.7 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.330 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.770 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.816 · G: 12.544 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.048230 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.466 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 151.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 84.9000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.41 g/cm³ (43 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1373.5324 S⊕ (~1,869,378 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1964.200 LY (602.236 pc) |