WASP-46 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-46 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-46, located approximately 1224.1 light-years (375.31 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2011 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.977% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.159 Earth radii (1.17 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 607.055 Earth masses (1.91 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.47 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 3.51 g⊕ (34.42 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 76 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-46, WASP-46 b completes one full revolution every 1.43 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.02335 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 177.6 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 1636 K (+1363°C / +2485°F) and receiving 1,281.24 S⊕ (~1,743,769 W/m²), WASP-46 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-46 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G6 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,600 K, a radius of 0.858 R☉, a mass of 0.828 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.65 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 9.6 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.3 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-46 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 13.043 (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-46 |
| Spectral Type | G6 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,600 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8580 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8280 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.65 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.300 dex |
| Stellar Age | 9.600 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 13.043 · G: 12.852 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.023350 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.43 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 177.6 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 82.8000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.47 g/cm³ (76 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1281.2408 S⊕ (~1,743,769 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1224.100 LY (375.310 pc) |