WASP-52 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-52 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-52, located approximately 570.2 light-years (174.82 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2012 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 2.7309% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.24 Earth radii (1.27 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 146.2 Earth masses (0.46 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.28 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.72 g⊕ (7.06 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 35.8 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-52, WASP-52 b completes one full revolution every 1.75 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0272 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 169.1 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 1315 K (+1042°C / +1908°F) and receiving 605.76 S⊕ (~824,443 W/m²), WASP-52 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-52 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K2 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,000 K, a radius of 0.79 R☉, a mass of 0.87 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.35 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.03 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-52 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.192 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern 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-52 |
| Spectral Type | K2 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,000 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7900 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.35 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.030 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.192 · G: 11.954 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.027200 AU |
| Orbital Period | 1.75 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 169.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 85.3500° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.28 g/cm³ (35.8 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 605.7625 S⊕ (~824,443 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 570.200 LY (174.818 pc) |