WASP-93 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-93 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-93, located approximately 1207.7 light-years (370.28 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.1596% across the stellar disk), this world measures 17.901 Earth radii (1.6 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 467.21 Earth masses (1.47 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.45 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 1.46 g⊕ (14.32 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 57.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-93, WASP-93 b completes one full revolution every 2.733 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04211 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 167.7 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 1942 K (+1669°C / +3036°F) and receiving 2,531.13 S⊕ (~3,444,873 W/m²), WASP-93 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-93 is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F4 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,700 K, a radius of 1.524 R☉, a mass of 1.334 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 4.199 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 0.7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.07 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-93 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.966 (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-93 |
| Spectral Type | F4 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,700 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.5240 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.3340 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 4.199 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.070 dex |
| Stellar Age | 0.700 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.966 · G: 10.978 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.042110 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.733 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 167.7 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 81.1800° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.45 g/cm³ (57.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2531.1336 S⊕ (~3,444,873 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1207.700 LY (370.284 pc) |