WASP-5 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-5 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-5, located approximately 1008.3 light-years (309.14 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2008 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.1784% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.184 Earth radii (1.09 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 502.15 Earth masses (1.58 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.53 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 3.38 g⊕ (33.15 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 71.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-5, WASP-5 b completes one full revolution every 1.628 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0267 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 178.4 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.038 (ranging from 0.0257 AU at periapsis to 0.0277 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1706 K (+1433°C / +2611°F) and receiving 1,559.48 S⊕ (~2,122,447 W/m²), WASP-5 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-5 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G5 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,700 K, a radius of 1.029 R☉, a mass of 0.96 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.003 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 5.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.09 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-5 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.147 (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-5 |
| Spectral Type | G5 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,700 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.0290 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.9600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.003 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.090 dex |
| Stellar Age | 5.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.147 · G: 11.996 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.026700 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.628 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 178.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.03800 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.9000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.53 g/cm³ (71.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1559.4762 S⊕ (~2,122,447 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1008.300 LY (309.137 pc) |