WASP-62 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-62 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-62, located approximately 572.8 light-years (175.63 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2012 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.2162% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.796 Earth radii (1.32 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 165.272 Earth masses (0.52 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 0.75 g⊕ (7.35 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 37.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-62, WASP-62 b completes one full revolution every 4.412 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0571 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 140.8 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 1475 K (+1202°C / +2196°F) and receiving 1,817.89 S⊕ (~2,474,145 W/m²), WASP-62 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-62 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,230 K, a radius of 1.23 R☉, a mass of 1.11 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.045 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.6 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.04 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-62 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.213 (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-62 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,230 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.2300 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1100 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.045 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.040 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.600 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.213 · G: 10.072 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.057100 AU |
| Orbital Period | 4.412 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 140.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.3000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.28 g/cm³ (37.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1817.8874 S⊕ (~2,474,145 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 572.800 LY (175.631 pc) |