WASP-194 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-194 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-194, located approximately 1555.2 light-years (476.83 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2025 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.0145% across the stellar disk), this world measures 15.48 Earth radii (1.38 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 373.131 Earth masses (1.17 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.55 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.56 g⊕ (15.3 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 54.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-194, WASP-194 b completes one full revolution every 3.183 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.047 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 160.6 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 1693 K (+1420°C / +2588°F) and receiving 1,365.00 S⊕ (~1,857,765 W/m²), WASP-194 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-194 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,405 K, a radius of 1.409 R☉, a mass of 1.29 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.998 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.75 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-194 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.985 (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 · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).
☀️ Host Star Telemetry
| Host Star Name | WASP-194 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,405 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.4090 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2900 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.998 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.000 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.750 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.985 · G: 11.922 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.047000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.183 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 160.6 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 83.2300° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.55 g/cm³ (54.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1365.0000 S⊕ (~1,857,765 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1555.200 LY (476.831 pc) |