WASP-185 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-185 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-185, located approximately 911.1 light-years (279.35 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2019 by WASP-South using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.7333% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.011 Earth radii (1.25 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 311.473 Earth masses (0.98 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.62 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.59 g⊕ (15.59 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 52.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-185, WASP-185 b completes one full revolution every 9.388 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0904 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 104.8 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.24 carries the world between 0.0687 AU at periapsis and 0.1121 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1160 K (+887°C / +1629°F) and receiving 662.33 S⊕ (~901,425 W/m²), WASP-185 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-185 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G0 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,900 K, a radius of 1.5 R☉, a mass of 1.12 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.446 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 6.6 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.02 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-185 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.101 (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: WASP-South · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | WASP-185 |
| Spectral Type | G0 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,900 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.5000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1200 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.446 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.020 dex |
| Stellar Age | 6.600 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.101 · G: 10.895 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.090400 AU |
| Orbital Period | 9.388 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 104.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.24000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.8000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.62 g/cm³ (52.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 662.3252 S⊕ (~901,425 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 911.100 LY (279.350 pc) |