WASP-168 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-168 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-168, located approximately 991.3 light-years (303.94 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.8943% across the stellar disk), this world measures 16.814 Earth radii (1.5 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 133.489 Earth masses (0.42 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.15 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.47 g⊕ (4.61 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 31.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-168, WASP-168 b completes one full revolution every 4.154 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0519 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 135.9 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 1340 K (+1067°C / +1953°F) and receiving 278.89 S⊕ (~379,564 W/m²), WASP-168 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-168 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F9 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,000 K, a radius of 1.12 R☉, a mass of 1.08 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.459 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.96 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.01 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-168 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.124 (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-168 |
| Spectral Type | F9 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,000 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.1200 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0800 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.459 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.010 dex |
| Stellar Age | 3.960 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.124 · G: 11.714 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.051900 AU |
| Orbital Period | 4.154 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 135.9 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 84.4000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.15 g/cm³ (31.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 278.8860 S⊕ (~379,564 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 991.300 LY (303.941 pc) |