WASP-71 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-71 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-71, located approximately 1183 light-years (362.72 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2012 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.4439% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.227 Earth radii (1.18 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 441.784 Earth masses (1.39 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.05 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.53 g⊕ (24.81 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 64.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-71, WASP-71 b completes one full revolution every 2.904 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.046 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 172.3 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 2016 K (+1743°C / +3169°F) and receiving 3,384.61 S⊕ (~4,606,454 W/m²), WASP-71 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-71 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F8 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,050 K, a radius of 1.82 R☉, a mass of 0.76 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.982 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.15 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-71 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.56 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern 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-71 |
| Spectral Type | F8 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,050 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.8200 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.7600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 3.982 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.150 dex |
| Stellar Age | 3.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.560 · G: 10.568 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.046000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.904 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 172.3 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 84.2000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.05 g/cm³ (64.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 3384.6097 S⊕ (~4,606,454 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1183.000 LY (362.715 pc) |