WASP-70 A b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-70 A b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-70 A, located approximately 725.2 light-years (222.36 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.9692% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.047 Earth radii (1.16 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 187.512 Earth masses (0.59 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.47 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.1 g⊕ (10.79 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 42.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-70 A, WASP-70 A b completes one full revolution every 3.713 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04853 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 142.2 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 1387 K (+1114°C / +2037°F) and receiving 649.15 S⊕ (~883,500 W/m²), WASP-70 A b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-70 A is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G4 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,763 K, a radius of 1.215 R☉, a mass of 1.106 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.461 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 9.5 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.006 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-70 A shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.786 (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-70 A |
| Spectral Type | G4 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,763 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.2150 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1060 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.461 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.006 dex |
| Stellar Age | 9.500 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.786 · G: 11.032 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.048530 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.713 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 142.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 87.1200° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.47 g/cm³ (42.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 649.1548 S⊕ (~883,500 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 725.200 LY (222.355 pc) |