WASP-96 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-96 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-96, located approximately 1149.6 light-years (352.46 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.3791% across the stellar disk), this world measures 13.45 Earth radii (1.2 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 152.55 Earth masses (0.48 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 0.35 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 0.84 g⊕ (8.24 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 37.7 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-96, WASP-96 b completes one full revolution every 3.425 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.0453 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 143.9 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 1285 K (+1012°C / +1854°F) and receiving 517.00 S⊕ (~703,637 W/m²), WASP-96 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-96 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G8 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,540 K, a radius of 1.05 R☉, a mass of 1.06 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 0.932 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.14 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-96 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.569 (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-96 |
| Spectral Type | G8 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,540 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.0500 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.0600 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 0.932 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.140 dex |
| Stellar Age | 8.000 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 12.569 · G: 12.383 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.045300 AU |
| Orbital Period | 3.425 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 143.9 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 85.6000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 0.35 g/cm³ (37.7 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 517.0000 S⊕ (~703,637 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 1149.600 LY (352.464 pc) |