WASP-94 B b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-94 B b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-94 B, located approximately 680.7 light-years (208.7 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Radial Velocity detection technique (measuring periodic Doppler reflex motion in the host star's spectrum), this world measures 14.1 Earth radii (1.26 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 196.411 Earth masses (0.62 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.39 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.99 g⊕ (9.71 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 41.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-94 B, WASP-94 B b completes one full revolution every 2.008 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0335 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 181.5 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 1849 K (+1576°C / +2869°F) and receiving 2,000.01 S⊕ (~2,722,020 W/m²), WASP-94 B b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-94 B is classified as a warm F-type star of spectral type F9 with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,040 K, a radius of 1.35 R☉, a mass of 1.24 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.176 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.23 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-94 B shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.589 (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 B |
| Spectral Type | F9 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 6,040 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.3500 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.2400 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 2.176 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.230 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.589 · G: 10.406 |
| System Architecture | 2 Stars, 2 Planets |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.033500 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.008 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 181.5 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | — |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.39 g/cm³ (41.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2000.0146 S⊕ (~2,722,020 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 680.700 LY (208.696 pc) |