WASP-44 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-44 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-44, located approximately 1188.9 light-years (364.51 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2011 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.5567% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.33 Earth radii (1.1 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 276.512 Earth masses (0.87 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.81 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.82 g⊕ (17.85 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 53 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-44, WASP-44 b completes one full revolution every 2.424 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.03453 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 155 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 1337 K (+1064°C / +1947°F) and receiving 533.00 S⊕ (~725,413 W/m²), WASP-44 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-44 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G8 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,420 K, a radius of 0.906 R☉, a mass of 0.935 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.636 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 10.3 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.003 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-44 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.096 (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-44 |
| Spectral Type | G8 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,420 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.9060 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9350 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.636 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.003 dex |
| Stellar Age | 10.300 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.096 · G: 12.896 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.034530 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.424 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 155 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.2100° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.81 g/cm³ (53 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 533.0000 S⊕ (~725,413 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1188.900 LY (364.512 pc) |