WASP-6 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-6 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-6, located approximately 642.9 light-years (197.12 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2009 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 2.1188% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.543 Earth radii (1.12 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 148.426 Earth masses (0.47 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.41 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.94 g⊕ (9.22 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 38.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-6, WASP-6 b completes one full revolution every 3.361 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04217 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 136.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). Its moderate orbital eccentricity of e = 0.054 carries the world between 0.0399 AU at periapsis and 0.0444 AU at apoapsis, driving measurable seasonal insolation cycles.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1167 K (+894°C / +1641°F) and receiving 288.00 S⊕ (~391,968 W/m²), WASP-6 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-6 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,438 K, a radius of 0.79 R☉, a mass of 0.854 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.49 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.2 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.15 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-6 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.907 (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-6 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,438 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.7900 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8540 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.49 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.150 dex |
| Stellar Age | 3.200 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.907 · G: 11.976 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.042170 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.361 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 136.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.05400 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.41 g/cm³ (38.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 288.0000 S⊕ (~391,968 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 642.900 LY (197.119 pc) |