WASP-15 b
WASP-15 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-15 in the constellation Centaurus. It lies about 920 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-15 b?
WASP-15 b has a radius of 15.80 times that of Earth, or 1.41 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 172 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-15 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-15 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-15 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-15: 1.279–2.979 AU (conservative: 1.620–2.824 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-15 b — one full orbit around WASP-15 — lasts 3.75 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was WASP-15 b Discovered?
WASP-15 b was discovered in 2009 using the transit method, with observations from SuperWASP.
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-15 b?
WASP-15 b is 920.1 light-years (282.1 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1106. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 16,193,760 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-15 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,176 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-15
WASP-15
- Surface temperature
- 6,300 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.18 M☉
- Radius
- 1.48 R☉
Planetary System
WASP-15 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-15 so far.
WASP-15 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 15.805 Earth radii (1.410 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 171.63 Earth masses (0.540 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 3.75 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 920.1 light-years (282.1 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP |
| Discovery year | 2009 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-04-25. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-15 b
Is WASP-15 b habitable?
WASP-15 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-15, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-15 b?
WASP-15 b is about 920 light-years from Earth in the constellation Centaurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 16,193,760 years to get there.
How big is WASP-15 b compared to Earth?
WASP-15 b has 15.80 times the radius of Earth and about 172 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-15 b?
One orbit around WASP-15 takes 3.8 Earth days — short enough that 97 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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