WASP-69 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-69 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-69, located approximately 162.9 light-years (49.96 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.6462% across the stellar disk), this world measures 11.21 Earth radii (1 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 82.58 Earth masses (0.26 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.32 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.66 g⊕ (6.47 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 30.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-69, WASP-69 b completes one full revolution every 3.868 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0453 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 127.4 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 971 K (+698°C / +1288°F) and receiving 180.56 S⊕ (~245,737 W/m²), WASP-69 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-69 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,792 K, a radius of 0.801 R☉, a mass of 0.83 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.304 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.35 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-69 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 9.873 (accessible to binoculars and small amateur telescopes) 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-69 |
| Spectral Type | K |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,792 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.8010 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.8300 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.304 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.350 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.800 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 9.873 · G: 9.485 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.045300 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.868 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 127.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.7900° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.32 g/cm³ (30.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 180.5564 S⊕ (~245,737 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 162.900 LY (49.961 pc) |