WASP-41 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-41 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-41, located approximately 532.8 light-years (163.37 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2011 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.8549% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.33 Earth radii (1.1 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 0.79 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.78 g⊕ (17.46 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 52.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-41, WASP-41 b completes one full revolution every 3.052 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04022 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 143.3 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 1244 K (+971°C / +1780°F) and receiving 344.15 S⊕ (~468,387 W/m²), WASP-41 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-41 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,545 K, a radius of 0.83 R☉, a mass of 0.81 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.584 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.2 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.06 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-41 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.632 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Southern celestial hemisphere. The WASP-41 system is a multi-planet architecture hosting 2 confirmed worlds, with WASP-41 b sharing its stellar neighborhood alongside WASP-41 c.
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-41 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,545 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8300 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.584 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.060 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.200 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.632 · G: 11.282 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.040220 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.052 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 143.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.4000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.79 g/cm³ (52.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 344.1490 S⊕ (~468,387 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 532.800 LY (163.371 pc) |