WASP-68 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-68 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-68, located approximately 738.4 light-years (226.4 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.5743% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.796 Earth radii (1.32 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 343.256 Earth masses (1.08 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.58 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.57 g⊕ (15.4 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 53.9 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-68, WASP-68 b completes one full revolution every 5.084 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.06206 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 132.8 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 1490 K (+1217°C / +2223°F) and receiving 843.48 S⊕ (~1,147,975 W/m²), WASP-68 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-68 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G0 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,910 K, a radius of 1.79 R☉, a mass of 1.49 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.507 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 5.7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.22 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-68 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.674 (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-68 |
| Spectral Type | G0 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,910 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.7900 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.4900 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 3.507 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.220 dex |
| Stellar Age | 5.700 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.674 · G: 10.409 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.062060 AU |
| Orbital Period | 5.084 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 132.8 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.1000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.58 g/cm³ (53.9 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 843.4794 S⊕ (~1,147,975 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 738.400 LY (226.399 pc) |