WASP-36 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-36 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-36, located approximately 1260.1 light-years (386.35 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2011 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.9166% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.874 Earth radii (1.33 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 750.397 Earth masses (2.36 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.26 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 3.39 g⊕ (33.24 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 79.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-36, WASP-36 b completes one full revolution every 1.537 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.02677 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 189.4 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 1733 K (+1460°C / +2660°F) and receiving 1,422.61 S⊕ (~1,936,169 W/m²), WASP-36 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-36 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,959 K, a radius of 0.985 R☉, a mass of 1.081 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.098 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.26 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-36 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.836 (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-36 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,959 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9850 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0810 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.098 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.260 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.836 · G: 12.628 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.026770 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.537 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 189.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 83.1500° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.26 g/cm³ (79.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1422.6075 S⊕ (~1,936,169 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1260.100 LY (386.346 pc) |