WASP-79 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-79 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-79, located approximately 804.6 light-years (246.69 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2012 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.0842% across the stellar disk), this world measures 17.15 Earth radii (1.53 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 270.154 Earth masses (0.85 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.3 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.92 g⊕ (9.02 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 44.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-79, WASP-79 b completes one full revolution every 3.662 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0519 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 154.2 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 1716 K (+1443°C / +2629°F) and receiving 1,645.99 S⊕ (~2,240,191 W/m²), WASP-79 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-79 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F5 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,600 K, a radius of 1.51 R☉, a mass of 1.39 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 3.882 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 1.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.03 dex (near-solar heavy-element abundance). From Earth, WASP-79 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.044 (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-79 |
| Spectral Type | F5 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,600 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.5100 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.3900 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 3.882 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.030 dex |
| Stellar Age | 1.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.044 · G: 9.972 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.051900 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.662 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 154.2 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 86.1000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.3 g/cm³ (44.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1645.9887 S⊕ (~2,240,191 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 804.600 LY (246.690 pc) |