WASP-95 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-95 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-95, located approximately 448.6 light-years (137.54 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.056% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.787 Earth radii (1.23 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 457.675 Earth masses (1.44 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.96 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.41 g⊕ (23.63 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 64.4 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-95, WASP-95 b completes one full revolution every 2.185 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.03416 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 170.1 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 1570 K (+1297°C / +2367°F) and receiving 2,841.06 S⊕ (~3,866,677 W/m²), WASP-95 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-95 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G2 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,830 K, a radius of 1.23 R☉, a mass of 1.46 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.568 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 2.4 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.14 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-95 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.092 (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-95 |
| Spectral Type | G2 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,830 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.2300 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.4600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.568 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.140 dex |
| Stellar Age | 2.400 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.092 · G: 9.937 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.034160 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.185 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 170.1 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.4000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.96 g/cm³ (64.4 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 2841.0562 S⊕ (~3,866,677 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 448.600 LY (137.544 pc) |