WASP-80 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-80 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-80, located approximately 162.4 light-years (49.79 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2012 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 3.0692% across the stellar disk), this world measures 11.198 Earth radii (1 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 170.993 Earth masses (0.54 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.67 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.36 g⊕ (13.34 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 43.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-80, WASP-80 b completes one full revolution every 3.068 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0344 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 122 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). With a near-circular eccentricity of e = 0.002 (ranging from 0.0343 AU at periapsis to 0.0345 AU at apoapsis), the planet experiences minimal orbital distance variation.
⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 825 K (+552°C / +1026°F) and receiving 72.44 S⊕ (~98,594 W/m²), WASP-80 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-80 is classified as an orange K-type star of spectral type K7-M0 V with an effective photospheric temperature of 4,143 K, a radius of 0.586 R☉, a mass of 0.577 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.091 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.13 dex (metal-poor relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-80 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 11.841 (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-80 |
| Spectral Type | K7-M0 V |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 4,143 K |
| Stellar Radius | 0.5860 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 0.5770 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.091 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | -0.130 dex |
| Stellar Age | 7.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 11.841 · G: 11.273 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.034400 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.068 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 122 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00200 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 89.0200° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.67 g/cm³ (43.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 72.4420 S⊕ (~98,594 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 162.400 LY (49.788 pc) |