WASP-97 b
Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization
WASP-97 b is a confirmed gas giant exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-97, located approximately 492.7 light-years (151.07 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2014 by SuperWASP using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 1.1766% across the stellar disk), this world measures 12.778 Earth radii (1.14 Jupiter radii) and has a measured mass of 432.249 Earth masses (1.36 Jupiter masses). Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 1.14 g/cm³ (a low bulk density dominated by an extended hydrogen-helium gaseous envelope), a surface gravity of 2.65 g⊕ (25.99 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 65.1 km/s.
In its orbital architecture around WASP-97, WASP-97 b completes one full revolution every 2.073 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.03303 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 173.4 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 1555 K (+1282°C / +2340°F) and receiving 1,414.87 S⊕ (~1,925,638 W/m²), WASP-97 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.
The host star WASP-97 is classified as a solar-type yellow star of spectral type G5 with an effective photospheric temperature of 5,640 K, a radius of 1.08 R☉, a mass of 1.18 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 1.059 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 4.8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.23 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, WASP-97 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 10.57 (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-97 |
| Spectral Type | G5 |
| Effective Temp (Teff) | 5,640 K |
| Stellar Radius | 1.0800 R☉ |
| Stellar Mass | 1.1800 M☉ |
| Bolometric Luminosity | 1.059 L☉ |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.230 dex |
| Stellar Age | 4.800 Gyr |
| Apparent Magnitude | V: 10.570 · G: 10.424 |
| System Architecture | 1 Star, 1 Planet |
🪐 Orbital & Physical Dynamics
| Semi-Major Axis (a) | 0.033030 AU |
| Orbital Period | 2.073 days |
| Mean Orbital Velocity | 173.4 km/s |
| Orbital Eccentricity (e) | 0.00000 |
| Orbital Inclination (i) | 88.0000° |
| Mean Bulk Density | 1.14 g/cm³ (65.1 km/s vesc) |
| Insolation Flux | 1414.8700 S⊕ (~1,925,638 W/m²) |
| Habitable Zone Status | Exterior / Non-HZ |
| Celestial Distance | 492.700 LY (151.068 pc) |