WASP-119 b
WASP-119 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the G5 star WASP-119 in the constellation Reticulum. It lies about 987 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2016 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-119 b?
WASP-119 b has a radius of 15.69 times that of Earth, or 1.40 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 391 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.70 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is WASP-119 b in the Habitable Zone?
WASP-119 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of WASP-119. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of WASP-119: 0.868–2.052 AU (conservative: 1.099–1.945 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on WASP-119 b
The equilibrium temperature of WASP-119 b is about 1,600 K (1,327 °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 WASP-119 b — one full orbit around WASP-119 — lasts 2.50 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.036 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.06).
How Was WASP-119 b Discovered?
WASP-119 b was discovered in 2016 using the transit method, with observations from SuperWASP-South.
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 WASP-119 b?
WASP-119 b is 986.5 light-years (302.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1040. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 17,362,400 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. WASP-119 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,163 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-119
WASP-119
- Spectral type
- G5
- Surface temperature
- 5,650 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.02 M☉
- Radius
- 1.20 R☉
- Age
- 8.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
WASP-119 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-119 so far.
WASP-119 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 15.693 Earth radii (1.400 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 390.93 Earth masses (1.230 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.70 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 2.50 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.036 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.058 |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,600 K (1,327 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 986.5 light-years (302.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Reticulum |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP-South |
| Discovery year | 2016 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2016-05-03. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-119 b
Is WASP-119 b habitable?
No — WASP-119 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is WASP-119 b?
WASP-119 b is about 987 light-years from Earth in the constellation Reticulum. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 17,362,400 years to get there.
How big is WASP-119 b compared to Earth?
WASP-119 b has 15.69 times the radius of Earth and about 391 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-119 b?
One orbit around WASP-119 takes 2.5 Earth days — short enough that 146 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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