WASP-176 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-176 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-176, located approximately 1853.9 light-years (568.42 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2020 by SuperWASP-North using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.6455% across the stellar disk), this world measures 16.87 Earth radii (1.51 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 271.745 Earth masses (0.86 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.31 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.95 g⊕ (9.32 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 44.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-176, WASP-176 b completes one full revolution every 3.899 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0535 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 149.3 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 1721 K (+1448°C / +2638°F) and receiving 1,703.24 S⊕ (~2,318,111 W/m²), WASP-176 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-176 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F9 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,941 K, a radius of 1.925 R☉, a mass of 1.345 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 4.142 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.81 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.164 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-176 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.006 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern 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-North · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | WASP-176 |
| Spectral Type | F9 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,941 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.9250 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.3450 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 4.142 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.164 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.810 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.006 · G: 11.939 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.053500 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.899 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 149.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.7000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.31 g/cm³ (44.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1703.2413 S⊕ (~2,318,111 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1853.900 LY (568.420 pc) |