WASP-50 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-50 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-50, located approximately 602.9 light-years (184.85 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2011 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 2.0204% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.07 Earth radii (1.17 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 466.829 Earth masses (1.47 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.15 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.73 g⊕ (26.77 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 66.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-50, WASP-50 b completes one full revolution every 1.955 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0293 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 163 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.009 (ranging from 0.029 AU at periapsis to 0.0296 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1395 K (+1122°C / +2052°F) and receiving 690.34 S⊕ (~939,552 W/m²), WASP-50 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-50 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,400 K, a radius of 0.843 R☉, a mass of 0.892 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.542 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.12 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-50 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.44 (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-50 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,400 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8430 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8920 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.542 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.120 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.440 · G: 11.552 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.029300 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.955 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 163 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00900 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 84.8800° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.15 g/cm³ (66.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 690.3398 S⊕ (~939,552 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 602.900 LY (184.848 pc) |