WASP-16 b
WASP-16 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-16 in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 633 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-16 b?
WASP-16 b has a radius of 13.67 times that of Earth, or 1.22 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 394 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-16 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-16 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-16 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-16: 0.836–1.975 AU (conservative: 1.060–1.872 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-16 b — one full orbit around WASP-16 — lasts 3.12 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was WASP-16 b Discovered?
WASP-16 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-16 b?
WASP-16 b is 633.2 light-years (194.1 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1393. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 11,144,320 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-16 b scores 0.07, ranking #4,986 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-16
WASP-16
- Surface temperature
- 5,700 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.78 M☉
- Radius
- 1.14 R☉
Planetary System
WASP-16 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-16 so far.
WASP-16 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 13.675 Earth radii (1.220 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 394.11 Earth masses (1.240 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 3.12 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 633.2 light-years (194.1 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| 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-16 b
Is WASP-16 b habitable?
WASP-16 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-16, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-16 b?
WASP-16 b is about 633 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 11,144,320 years to get there.
How big is WASP-16 b compared to Earth?
WASP-16 b has 13.67 times the radius of Earth and about 394 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-16 b?
One orbit around WASP-16 takes 3.1 Earth days — short enough that 117 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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