WASP-94 A b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-94 A b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-94 A, located approximately 688.9 light-years (211.21 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.2035% across the stellar disk), this world measures 17.71 Earth radii (1.58 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 158.915 Earth masses (0.5 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.16 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.51 g⊕ (5 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 33.5 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-94 A, WASP-94 A b completes one full revolution every 3.95 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.055 AU (orbiting interior to Mercury's 0.387 AU benchmark in the Solar System). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 151.5 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 1604 K (+1331°C / +2428°F) and receiving 1,009.38 S⊕ (~1,373,766 W/m²), WASP-94 A b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-94 A is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F8 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,170 K, a radius of 1.48 R☉, a mass of 1.67 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.848 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.7 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.26 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-94 A shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.051 (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-94 A |
| Spectral Type | F8 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,170 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.4800 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.6700 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.848 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.260 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.700 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.051 · G: 10.029 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.055000 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.95 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 151.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.7000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.16 g/cm³ (33.5 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1009.3800 S⊕ (~1,373,766 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 688.900 LY (211.211 pc) |