WASP-43 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-43 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-43, located approximately 282.9 light-years (86.75 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2011 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 2.5369% across the stellar disk), this world measures 10.424 Earth radii (0.93 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 565.714 Earth masses (1.78 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 2.75 g/cm³ (an intermediate density indicative of a deep water-ice mantle or dense volatile envelope), a surface gravity of 5.21 g⊕ (51.09 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 82.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-43, WASP-43 b completes one full revolution every 0.813 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0142 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 189.9 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 1427 K (+1154°C / +2109°F) and receiving 680.90 S⊕ (~926,699 W/m²), WASP-43 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-43 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K7 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,400 K, a radius of 0.6 R☉, a mass of 0.58 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.121 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.05 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-43 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.305 (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-43 |
| Spectral Type | K7 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,400 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.6000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.5800 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.121 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.050 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.305 · G: 11.907 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.014200 AU |
| Orbital Period | 0.813 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 189.9 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 82.6000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 2.75 g/cm³ (82.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 680.8953 S⊕ (~926,699 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 282.900 LY (86.747 pc) |