HATS-56 b
HATS-56 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting HATS-56 in the constellation Centaurus. It lies about 1,841 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2019 using the transit method.
How Big Is HATS-56 b?
HATS-56 b has a radius of 18.92 times that of Earth, or 1.69 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 191 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.16 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is HATS-56 b in the Habitable Zone?
HATS-56 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of HATS-56. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of HATS-56: 2.015–4.675 AU (conservative: 2.553–4.433 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
See the full interactive habitable-zone view in the Exoplanet Explorer app ›
Temperature on HATS-56 b
The equilibrium temperature of HATS-56 b is about 1,902 K (1,629 °C) — hot enough to melt many metals. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on HATS-56 b — one full orbit around HATS-56 — lasts 4.32 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.060 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.019).
How Was HATS-56 b Discovered?
HATS-56 b was discovered in 2019 using the transit method, with observations from HATSouth.
The transit method watches a star for the tiny, regular dip in brightness that occurs when a planet crosses in front of it. The depth and timing of these dips reveal the planet's size and orbital period.
How Far Away Is HATS-56 b?
HATS-56 b is 1,840.9 light-years (564.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,841 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 32,399,840 years to make the journey.
Earth Similarity Index
The Earth Similarity Index (ESI) scores how physically similar a planet is to Earth, from 0 to 1, based on radius, density, escape velocity and surface temperature. HATS-56 b scores 0.05, ranking #5,287 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: HATS-56
HATS-56
- Surface temperature
- 6,536 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.57 M☉
- Radius
- 2.20 R☉
- Luminosity
- 7.9001 L☉
- Age
- 1.9 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
HATS-56 b is the only planet known to orbit HATS-56 so far.
HATS-56 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 18.921 Earth radii (1.688 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 191.33 Earth masses (0.602 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.16 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 4.32 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.060 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.019 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,902 K (1,629 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.05 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,840.9 light-years (564.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | HATSouth |
| Discovery year | 2019 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-08-09. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About HATS-56 b
Is HATS-56 b habitable?
No — HATS-56 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is HATS-56 b?
HATS-56 b is about 1,841 light-years from Earth in the constellation Centaurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 32,399,840 years to get there.
How big is HATS-56 b compared to Earth?
HATS-56 b has 18.92 times the radius of Earth and about 191 times its mass.
How long is a year on HATS-56 b?
One orbit around HATS-56 takes 4.3 Earth days — short enough that 84 of its years would fit into one Earth year.