WASP-174 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-174 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-174, located approximately 1337.7 light-years (410.15 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2018 by SuperWASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.2018% across the stellar disk), this world measures 16.107 Earth radii (1.44 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 104.883 Earth masses (0.33 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.14 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.4 g⊕ (3.92 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 28.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-174, WASP-174 b completes one full revolution every 4.234 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.05503 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 141.4 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 1528 K (+1255°C / +2291°F) and receiving 901.90 S⊕ (~1,227,486 W/m²), WASP-174 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-174 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F6 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,399 K, a radius of 1.347 R☉, a mass of 1.24 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.729 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.2 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.06 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-174 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.803 (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-174 |
| Spectral Type | F6 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,399 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.3470 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2400 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.729 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.060 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.200 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.803 · G: 11.683 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.055030 AU |
| Orbital Period | 4.234 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 141.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 83.7800° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.14 g/cm³ (28.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 901.9000 S⊕ (~1,227,486 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1337.700 LY (410.149 pc) |