WASP-126 c
WASP-126 c is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-126 in the constellation Hydrus. It lies about 706 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2019 using the transit timing variations method.
Is WASP-126 c in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-126 c relative to the habitable zone of WASP-126 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-126: 0.959–2.258 AU (conservative: 1.215–2.141 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 ›
Orbit and Year Length
A year on WASP-126 c — one full orbit around WASP-126 — lasts 7.63 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. Its orbit is mildly elliptical (eccentricity 0.05).
How Was WASP-126 c Discovered?
WASP-126 c was discovered in 2019 using the transit timing variations method, with observations from Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
Transit timing variations reveal a planet through its gravitational tug on a sibling planet, which makes that sibling's transits arrive slightly early or late. The pattern of these deviations betrays the hidden planet's mass and orbit.
How Far Away Is WASP-126 c?
WASP-126 c is 706.2 light-years (216.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1320. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 12,429,120 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-126 c scores 0.10, ranking #4,467 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-126
WASP-126
- Surface temperature
- 5,800 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.12 M☉
- Radius
- 1.27 R☉
The WASP-126 Planetary System
WASP-126 c is one of 2 known planets in the WASP-126 system. Its siblings:
- WASP-126 b (Hot Jupiter)
WASP-126 c — Complete Data
| Mass | 64.20 Earth masses (0.202 Jupiter masses) |
|---|---|
| Orbital period | 7.63 days |
| Eccentricity | 0.050 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.10 |
| Distance from Earth | 706.2 light-years (216.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Hydrus |
| Discovery method | Transit Timing Variations |
| Discovery facility | Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) |
| Discovery year | 2019 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-12-02. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-126 c
Is WASP-126 c habitable?
WASP-126 c is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-126, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-126 c?
WASP-126 c is about 706 light-years from Earth in the constellation Hydrus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 12,429,120 years to get there.
How long is a year on WASP-126 c?
One orbit around WASP-126 takes 7.6 Earth days — short enough that 48 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
Explore WASP-126 c in the app
Browse, filter and compare 6,000+ exoplanets on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch — with habitable-zone views, widgets and offline data.
