WASP-82 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-82 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-82, located approximately 899.1 light-years (275.66 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2015 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.6285% across the stellar disk), this world measures 18.159 Earth radii (1.62 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 371.861 Earth masses (1.17 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.34 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.13 g⊕ (11.08 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 50.6 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-82, WASP-82 b completes one full revolution every 2.706 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0447 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 179.7 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 2190 K (+1917°C / +3483°F) and receiving 3,557.29 S⊕ (~4,841,472 W/m²), WASP-82 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-82 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F5 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,480 K, a radius of 2.1 R☉, a mass of 1.48 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 6.976 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.12 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-82 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.073 (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-82 |
| Spectral Type | F5 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,480 K |
| Stellar Radius | 2.1000 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.4800 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 6.976 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.120 dex |
| Stellar Age | — |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.073 · G: 9.898 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.044700 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.706 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 179.7 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 87.9000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.34 g/cm³ (50.6 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 3557.2900 S⊕ (~4,841,472 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 899.100 LY (275.664 pc) |