WASP-24 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-24 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-24, located approximately 1050.6 light-years (322.11 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2010 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.9973% across the stellar disk), this world measures 15.468 Earth radii (1.38 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 394.109 Earth masses (1.24 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.59 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.65 g⊕ (16.18 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 56.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-24, WASP-24 b completes one full revolution every 2.341 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.03651 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 169.7 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 1772 K (+1499°C / +2730°F) and receiving 934.47 S⊕ (~1,271,807 W/m²), WASP-24 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-24 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,075 K, a radius of 1.42 R☉, a mass of 1.43 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.464 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-24 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.219 (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-24 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,075 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.4200 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.4300 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.464 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.000 dex |
| Stellar Age | 3.800 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.219 · G: 11.395 |
| System Architecture | 3 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.036510 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.341 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 169.7 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 83.6400° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.59 g/cm³ (56.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 934.4650 S⊕ (~1,271,807 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1050.600 LY (322.114 pc) |