WASP-26 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-26 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-26, located approximately 824.4 light-years (252.76 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2010 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.0388% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.563 Earth radii (1.21 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 270.156 Earth masses (0.85 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.6 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.47 g⊕ (14.42 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 49.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-26, WASP-26 b completes one full revolution every 2.757 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04 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 157.9 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 1650 K (+1377°C / +2511°F) and receiving 1,225.53 S⊕ (~1,667,941 W/m²), WASP-26 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-26 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G0 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,034 K, a radius of 1.22 R☉, a mass of 0.86 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.77 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 6 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.16 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-26 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.297 (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-26 |
| Spectral Type | G0 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,034 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.2200 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.77 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.160 dex |
| Stellar Age | 6.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.297 · G: 10.994 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.040000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.757 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 157.9 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 82.5000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.6 g/cm³ (49.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1225.5264 S⊕ (~1,667,941 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 824.400 LY (252.759 pc) |