WASP-60 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-60 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-60, located approximately 1405.9 light-years (431.05 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2012 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.5974% across the stellar disk), this world measures 9.864 Earth radii (0.88 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 174.807 Earth masses (0.55 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.8 g⊕ (17.65 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 47.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-60, WASP-60 b completes one full revolution every 4.305 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.05548 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 140.2 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 1479 K (+1206°C / +2203°F) and receiving 925.49 S⊕ (~1,259,597 W/m²), WASP-60 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-60 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G1 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,900 K, a radius of 1.17 R☉, a mass of 1.19 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.488 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-60 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.67 (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-60 |
| Spectral Type | G1 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,900 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.1700 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1900 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.488 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.040 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.700 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.670 · G: 12.020 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.055480 AU |
| Orbital Period | 4.305 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 140.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 87.9000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1 g/cm³ (47.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 925.4935 S⊕ (~1,259,597 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1405.900 LY (431.052 pc) |