WASP-19 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-19 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-19, located approximately 875.2 light-years (268.33 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2009 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 2.0893% across the stellar disk), this world measures 15.861 Earth radii (1.42 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 366.774 Earth masses (1.15 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.51 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.46 g⊕ (14.32 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 53.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-19, WASP-19 b completes one full revolution every 0.789 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.01652 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 227.8 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.0126 (ranging from 0.0163 AU at periapsis to 0.0167 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 2113 K (+1840°C / +3344°F) and receiving 3,320.00 S⊕ (~4,518,520 W/m²), WASP-19 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-19 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G8 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,616 K, a radius of 1.006 R☉, a mass of 0.965 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.903 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 6.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-19 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.248 (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 · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | WASP-19 |
| Spectral Type | G8 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,616 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.0060 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9650 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.903 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.040 dex |
| Stellar Age | 6.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.248 · G: 12.109 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.016520 AU |
| Orbital Period | 0.789 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 227.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.01260 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 79.0800° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.51 g/cm³ (53.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 3320.0000 S⊕ (~4,518,520 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 875.200 LY (268.325 pc) |