WASP-7 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-7 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-7, located approximately 529.4 light-years (162.3 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2008 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.9109% across the stellar disk), this world measures 14.908 Earth radii (1.33 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 305.117 Earth masses (0.96 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.51 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.37 g⊕ (13.44 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 50.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-7, WASP-7 b completes one full revolution every 4.955 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0617 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 135.5 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.034 (ranging from 0.0596 AU at periapsis to 0.0638 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1487 K (+1214°C / +2217°F) and receiving 2,423.47 S⊕ (~3,298,349 W/m²), WASP-7 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-7 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,400 K, a radius of 1.432 R☉, a mass of 1.276 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.087 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-7 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 9.504 (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-7 |
| Spectral Type | Unclassified |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,400 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.4320 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2760 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 3.087 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.000 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 9.504 · G: 9.377 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.061700 AU |
| Orbital Period | 4.955 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 135.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.03400 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 87.0300° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.51 g/cm³ (50.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2423.4747 S⊕ (~3,298,349 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 529.400 LY (162.303 pc) |